


A Mother's Love (Jelsa)

by nurindalu



Category: Frozen (Disney Movies), Rise of the Guardians (2012)
Genre: Agnarr (Disney) - Freeform, Alternate Universe - Modern: No Powers, Anna (Disney) - Freeform, F/M, Family Drama, Hurt/Comfort, Mother-Daughter Relationship, My First AO3 Post, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, there will be
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-05
Updated: 2021-03-16
Packaged: 2021-03-18 11:16:10
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 33,151
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29857269
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nurindalu/pseuds/nurindalu
Summary: Back then, she was given away by a prostituteNow, she is defending the prostituteCould she accept the fact that the prostitute is her Mother?.Based on a TV Show by SinemartA Mother-Daughter relationship with Jelsa set in modern time
Relationships: Elsa (Disney)/Jack Frost (Guardians of Childhood)
Kudos: 7





	1. From Afar

**Author's Note:**

> Hello, thanks for taking the time to read this story. This is a story based on a TV Show by Sinemart in 2004-2005.  
> It's going to be a long journey, but I wish I could get there. Sorry for bad english, it's not my first language.  
> Desclimer: I don't own anything  
> Thank you again, and until next time!

Iduna traced her one month old daughter’s face with the tip of her finger. Her eyes seemed unable to see anything else around her because something in her arms was the most precious thing she had ever had. She ignored the jolt of the vehicle she was in, when it passed the rocky road. She ignored the fact that soon she would be separated from her daughter. The fact that she would never be able to hold her daughter ever again.

Her tears slowly dripped without her noticing. The corner of her lips twitched into a smile, betraying her heart which tightened with emotion. Her laugh broke when her index finger stuck on the mouth of the baby, who reflexively tasted off expecting to be breastfed. However, her joy didn’t last long. Sobs replaced her laugh and for this time, Iduna couldn’t stop crying. Then, she hugged her daughter and closed her eyes tightly.

“We are here, Ma’am.” The voice of the driver made her open her eyes and looked around her. She could clearly see a sign that read MOTHER’S LOVE, THE ORPHANAGE, not far away from where the driver parked the vehicle. Iduna cleaned her cheeks from the tears and got ready to get out.

“Here. Thank you. Keep the change.” Iduna said, held out some money for the driver.

After Iduna was in front of the gate of an old building that was still very well preserved, Iduna was still trying to convince herself that what she was doing, was the right thing to do. Iduna once again looked at her daughter, slowly landed a warm kiss on her baby’s forehead.

“You are going to be a very beautiful girl, Darling.” Iduna said softly. She then smiled and in an instant felt confident that she did the right thing. Slowly she opened the gate and stepped inside.

Iduna steps became more stable when she entered the courtyard of the building. She pushed through the main entrance and saw a woman with glasses behind the information desk. The woman that she knew would take care of her daughter with all of her heart. With all kindness and love. With something she gladly gave, but couldn’t.

“Good afternoon.” Iduna greeted. Making the woman behind the desk looked up, her eyes widened slightly when she saw Iduna. She immediately stood up and walked around the desk to face Iduna.

“Iduna?” Gerda asked incredulously. 

“Gerda.” Said Iduna under her breath. Her throat tightened trying to hold back the sobs that wanted to escape for the umpteenth time that day. Her eyes glistened with tears as Gerda pulled her into a hug.

“How have you been? Where were you?” Gerda’s eyes then landed on the baby in Iduna’s arms once she pulled away from the hug. “And who’s this?”

Without answering Gerda’s question, Iduna handed the baby over. “This is my daughter. Will you take care of her for me? I’ll come by every month to give you money and everything she needs. Not much, but I’ll try my best.” Iduna looked up to meet Gerda’s eyes. Desperate look met confused look.

Gerda sighed softly. “Let’s sit down first, Iduna. Tell me what this is all about. I haven’t seen you in years, and now, you have a daughter and you want me to take care of her? What happened?”

“I can’t stay for too long, Gerda. Please?” Iduna pleaded, her tears once again rolled down her cheeks. And because Gerda was still looking at her with questioning eyes, she continued. “I want you to take care of her because she can’t be with me. She can’t live with me. She will have a better life with you. She will have a better future with you—“

“But why? Gerda cut Iduna off. “You are her mother. Why can’t she be with you?” 

Iduna tried to hold back tears and composed herself. “Because I’m embarrassed. When she grows up, I don’t want her to know that her mother is…” Iduna looked away. Already embarrassed with what she was trying to say. “I don’t want her to know that her mother is a prostitute.”

Gerda gasped. “What?” Gerda hardly met Iduna’s gaze. Gerda tried to look for sign that she was joking. Could this be a prank? Gerda had known Iduna since she was in high school. She often volunteered to help with various activities at the orphanage. Even though she was a quiet and didn’t talk much, Gerda knew that she had a kind heart. The fact that she said she was a prostitute, shock was an understatement.

“You heard me, Gerda. I don’t want her to know that her mother is a prostitute. She will have a better life here. A better future. Without me. Please? I promise I will come by every month.” Iduna then looked at her daughter. “And if someday she asks who her parents are, please just tell her that her parents are dead.” Said Iduna, her voice trembling, her eyes pleading.

Gerda then looked at the baby in her arms. A cute little baby with platinum blonde hair, a pointed nose, chubby pinkish cheeks, and pale skin. The baby began to squirm and whimper, knowing that she was no longer in her mother’s arms. Gerda’s motherly instinct was touched and started rocking the baby up and down, trying to calm her down. 

“Hush now, little baby. You are safe here. Calm down, honey. What is her name?” Asked Gerda looked up from the baby.  


Iduna sighed, stared at the floor. “Name is a prayer. And I’m too despicable to pray. Someone like me doesn’t have the privilege to give such a beautiful baby girl a name.” 

“Name is indeed a prayer. And would be more precious if given by her mother. No matter what her mother’s job is.” Gerda smiled softly. Pushed back every question that remained in her head. Decided that there was no need to ask anymore. What Iduna did by giving her baby to her, she knew she had already thought about it. There was no other choice. 

“Elsa. Her name is Elsa.” Iduna replied, her voice so small. Even Gerda almost missed it.

“Elsa? Elsa who?”

“Elsa. Just Elsa.”

Gerda nodded, a little surprised when suddenly Iduna approached and landed a very gentle and warm kiss on Elsa’s forehead. She smiled sadly, she caressed the baby’s cheek and without a word, she turned around and left her daughter.

25 Years Later

“Miss Elsa, can I give you a hug, please?” A five year old girl with curly blonde hair asked, her hands reached out trying to get Elsa’s attention. This action made other children try to get close to Elsa too. 

“Me too, Miss Elsa! Me too!” The other kids shouted. Made Elsa giggle and knelt down before the children without hesitation.

“Come here, guys. Group hugs!” Elsa spread her arms, and in a second, Elsa was attacked by children who wanted to hug her. She laughed whole heartily and looked at Gerda who was standing on the terrace of the building where they were now.

“Kids! Enough already. We don’t want to hurt Miss Elsa, do we?” Said Gerda, patted the head of one of the children who were still enthusiastically hugging Elsa. Slowly, the children started to back away and finally Elsa could breathe a sigh of relief. Elsa smiled, rose to her feet while tidying her skirt. 

“Why does it always have to be like this, Gerda? Not that I don’t like it, but I didn’t realize that they love me that much.” Said Elsa, looked at the children one by one. One of them was still tugging Elsa’s skirt.

“Because they do really love you, Elsa. Besides, they know that you are the biggest donor to this orphanage.” Gerda explained. Elsa shrugged at this, like it was nothing.

“This orphanage once was my home and I will still think of it as my own home. I’ll do everything I can to help.” Elsa held the child who was tugging her skirt closer, a smile plastered on her face.

“I just hope that God will repay all your kindness, Elsa.”

Elsa sighed softly. “Thank you, Gerda.” Once again Elsa stared at the faces in front of her before returned her gaze to Gerda. “I have to go back to the office now. I’ll come back another time.” Elsa pulled Gerda into a hug, inhaling her scent of cinnamon and palm sugar. Oh how Elsa missed Gerda’s cinnamon cupcakes.

“Be careful and take care, alright?” Gerda grabbed Elsa’s hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. 

“I will.” With that, Elsa bided everyone goodbye and slowly turned around, headed to her waiting car. Her driver Kai, already opened the backseat door for her.

But, suddenly Elsa felt like someone was watching her. She could feel it, she looked around trying to find someone who was watching her, until she saw a window, the curtain swayed slightly. Elsa stared at it for a while, but no one was there. Elsa decided that it was just her feelings and wasted no time getting into the car.

🍁🍁🍁

Iduna felt very proud when she saw her daughter had grown into a beautiful, independent and successful young woman. Never once did it cross her mind to be ungrateful. What she did years ago made her no longer able to love Elsa directly, but at least, her decision made Elsa live a better life than hers.

She observed Elsa who was interacting with the children from the window of a room in the building, Elsa was dressed into a fancy suit and her hair was up in a bun. She felt a little disappointment when she saw the signs that Elsa would soon leave the orphanage from her regular visit. She saw Elsa hugging each other with Gerda, her heart sank at the thought that she should be able to hug her too. How does it feel to be hugged by your daughter? 

Something inside her seemed to be pushing her out of the room, running towards her daughter, holding her tight and never letting go again. However, a small voice in her head reminded her again. Who are you anyway? Wish a hug from her when you threw her away years ago? Are you out of your mind?

The train of thoughts in her head made her barely notice that Elsa was turning her gaze at her. One second she didn’t move away, Elsa might be able to see her. She stepped away from the window and stood leaning against the wall next to the window. Her hands folded in front of her chest, feeling her heart was about to escape from her throat. After a while, she breathed a sigh of relief when she heard the sound of a car starting and slowly left the building. 

“I’m really sure that you want to meet her, Iduna.” Gerda’s words made Iduna snapped her head and brought her back to her feet. “You want to meet Elsa and tell her the truth that you are her mother. And I have no doubt that Elsa will accept you no matter what.” Gerda walked closer to Iduna. Gerda had repeatedly discussed this with Iduna that telling Elsa the truth would be good for the both of them. Sure it would take some time to reach an understanding, but it would be worth it. 

“I don’t want to her to know that her mother is a prostitute, Gerda. I’ve already told you about this multiple time. Can you see? She is a successful, smart, and a very beautiful young woman. I don’t deserve to be her mother.” Iduna said, her eyes wandered anywhere but Gerda’s, especially at the last words. 

“Whatever your job is, you’ve paid for her life.”

“I only paid for her life until she was twelve.” Iduna cut Gerda off. “If only the Winters Family hadn’t adopted her, I wouldn’t be able to afford her college. She won’t be who she is now.”

“But it was you who gave birth to her, Iduna.” Gerda said still trying to convince.

The fact that Gerda said, made Iduna run out words. She didn’t know how to answer. She knew Gerda had a point, but she also didn’t think it was the best that could be done. Her job is a disgrace which she think would destroy Elsa’s life.

“I’m sorry, I have to go. Thank you for everything you have given and done to my daughter.” Iduna then rushed to leave, but when Iduna was about to reach the door, Gerda held her back.

“Iduna.” Gerda held out something. “This is Elsa’s business card. If you ever change your mind.” Gerda smile encouraging. She insisted on giving Iduna the card even though doubts clearly showed on Iduna’s face. Gerda then shoved the card into Idunna’s palm. Having no other choice, Iduna accepted it and read it briefly.

“Thank you.” Iduna said, and then left.

🍁🍁🍁

“What?! He got away again?” Elsa massaged the bridge of her nose. News from Jack pissed her off. She was still in her car on the way back home after a tiring day later that night, and what she heard right now, made her angry even more. “Haven’t we helped Bunny? And, the evidence that we have given to the court, should be enough to drag him to prison.”

“I don’t understand, Els. I really don’t understand. All the evidence incriminated him. The female worker agency is bullshit!” 

“That’s not all, Jack. I’m pretty sure that that female worker will be turned into a prostitute.”

“I know. And that’s been going on, like what? Decades! From there alone, he has managed to collect millions. Not to mention from his other business. Drugs! Firearms smuggling! Illegal logging! Human trafficking!” 

Elsa could hear loud thuds, no doubt coming from Jack’s fist striking the table surface. 

“The craziest one, Jack, and what I hate the most is the case of female worker agency. Had he never thought that the women he made a prostitute have a conscience?” Elsa let out a long, heavy breath. “I will drag him to prison by myself. Okay, Jack? Bye.” 

“Bye, Els. See you tomorrow.”

Elsa threw her cellphone next to her, rubbed her tired face and took another deep breath. Months of works she hoped would drag her nemesis to prison returned to no avail. Throughout her career as a lawyer, there had only one criminal whom she had not been able to bring to prison until now. She knew very well what crimes he had committed, but because he was so cunning and clever, he could always escape the trap of the law. Her determination grew even stronger to drag Manny Frost to the prison with her own hands.

🍁🍁🍁

“There you are!” 

A loud voice made Iduna stopped dead in her track. The key she was holding almost fell but her quick reflexes prevented that from happening, she turned around hoping for the worst.  
From the screeching voice that stung her ears, Iduna knew who the owner of the voice was. Madam Ursula was not someone she expected to meet now, but actually Iduna knew that sooner or later Madam Ursula would meet her. 

Iduna dared to lift her face and her heart sank to see the evil face of Madam Ursula. Both eyebrows raised dramatically making her look wicked, both hands on her hips. Around the apartment complex that Iduna rented, there were actually many other options, but the fact that Madam Ursula's flat was the cheapest, Iduna had no other choice.

"Good evening, Madam. What can I do for you?" Iduna asked, trying not to sound scared.

Ursula snorted, and then her ruthless laugh filled the hallway. "Very funny, you whore! What can I do for you? Is that the best you can ask?" Once again, she laughed. But in an instant, her facial expression drastically changed. Her wicked face returned and she stretched out one hand, palm facing up. "Where is my money? You said last week that you would pay it as soon as possible." She then flicked her fingers. "Come on, where's my money?"

Iduna fidgeted the key in her hands. "I'm sorry. I can't give you money I promised. I don't have it right now." And seeing Ursula's nostrils rise and fall rapidly, Iduna knew that the woman in front of her had a very thin patience. "But, I promise to give you the money tomorrow. Yes, tomorrow. I'll give you the money." She tried to sound sure.

Ursula observed Iduna, her eyes squinted dangerously, then moved her hand that was stretched out and pointed at Iduna right on her chest. 

"Tomorrow, you bitch! Tomorrow. You're three months late paying rent. I know that as a whore, not many men still want to use you like when you were young. You're old, wrinkled. They prefer young, smooth and sexy." Ursula took a step forward, her breath gushed into Iduna's face. "If tomorrow you still don't give me the money, only God knows what you will end up with. Do you understand?"

Iduna stared at Ursula with eyes already filled with tears threatening to come out. She was so grateful that Elsa didn't see her like this, and it warmed her heart. Just the thought of her daughter had kept her up to this point. If she could turn back time, she probably wouldn't have chosen the path of becoming a prostitute. Back then, she was very young, very naive. All she could think of was how she could fill her stomach. And stupidly, she chose an instant exit that trapped her and couldn't get out again easily. But, if she at that time had chosen another path, she wouldn't have had Elsa and she wouldn't have wanted that, she was still grateful for what she had been through, and her greatest blessing, Elsa. Just thinking about Elsa, Iduna was determined to last one more day.

"Tomorrow." Said Iduna, hold back her tears. 

Ursula stared at Iduna for a few seconds, then with a flash of lightning flicked her finger hard on Iduna's forehead. Iduna staggered backwards until her back hit the door of her flat. The key she had been holding fell to the floor.

"I'll be here tomorrow night at the same time." And with that, Ursula turned around and left. 

Iduna picked up the key of her flat and no longer had the urge to go inside. Suddenly she remembered Elsa's business card that Gerda gave her this afternoon. Her meeting with Ursula made her want to see Elsa. She wanted to see her daughter to be able to give peace in her heart and mind. She wiped the tears with the back of her hand and hurried away from there. 

🍁🍁🍁

Iduna read carefully the card in her hand, then looked up to see a two-story building in front of her. At the gate there was a sign that read 'Winters Resident', exactly as written on the card. She swallowed hard, what was in front of her wasn't just a house, it was more like a mansion, a white and dark gray mansion. Curiosity made her slowly reach for the gate and try to peek inside. She stood on tiptoes and tried to see what it was like behind the gate.

Her heart almost fell out when the gate she was holding suddenly moved. Someone in a security uniform tried to open the gate wide. Iduna took a few steps back, this time could clearly see the appearance of the mansion in front of her without the gate being a barrier.

HONK!! 

Iduna jumped because of the sudden sound of a car horn. She turned and saw a black luxury sedan trying to get into the driveway. And that's when she realized she was standing right in the middle. She then took a few steps back, watching the car slowly enter the driveway. She could catch a glimpse of someone sitting in the backseat, and for a moment felt like she was staring at each other.

Elsa was using her cellphone when she heard Kai press the car horn, a sign that she had arrived at her house. She looked up after putting the cellphone in her bag, and briefly Elsa saw someone standing in front of her house. She didn't observe any longer because Kai had brought her car to the front porch. As soon as the car stopped, the security immediately opened the car door and waited for her. She quickly took her bag and got out of the car.

"Good evening, Miss Elsa." The security greeted. 

"Good evening, Marshall." Elsa replied, giving a slight smile. Even though her face was dull with tiredness, she always tried to be nice to anyone. She was about to enter the house when she remembered something. "Oh, Marshall. I saw a woman in front of the gate. If she's my guest, please send her in, okay? I'll meet her in my study after I clean up."

"I'm sorry, Miss Elsa. I'm not sure that she is your guest. If she's here to see you, she should ring the bell and ask for your time like a normal guest. Sorry, it's not that I'm being rude or anything, but I saw her a few moments before you came, from the CCTV screen." Marshall explained, as a security guard he was responsible for the safety of everyone in the house. Especially Elsa. And because of that, he was used to thinking about the worst.

"Just ask first. If she doesn't want to see me, you can send her away. Politely." Elsa instructed. And after marshall nodded, she took the time to look at the woman he had seen for a second before finally entering the house.

Marshall walked closer to the gate and saw Iduna still standing there. Longing eyes were clear in her eyes, but he was not trained to recognize such a gaze. He then stood right in front of her, deliberately covering her viewing area from the front door. 

"May I help you, Ma'am?"


	2. Accusiation

"May I help you, Ma'am?" Asked Marshall as politely as he could. Marshall's strong and tall frame made Iduna feel intimidated. She swallowed hard and took a step back.

"I-i'm sorry. I just passed by and about to leave. Excuse me." Said Iduna nervously. She nodded curtly as a sign of short goodbye and walked away from there.

Marshall was curious about the woman's attitude. By appearance, she was not like a tramp, nor like the guests who used to meet his master. He kept staring at her back until finally her figure was swallowed up by the darkness of the night at the end of the road. He then closed the gate and locked it.

Iduna thought along the way. Her lips unconsciously smiled when she remembered that finally she could meet face to face with Elsa without a window or a curtain as a barrier. Even if only for a few seconds. Some of the most beautiful seconds for the last 25 years.

She stopped in her tracks when she realized that she was already on the edge of the main road. Her momentary happiness had to give a way to the thought of how she could survive when she met Ursula the next day.

Ursula was right, she was not as young as before, if she went to her usual place to look for customers, maybe the result would be the same. Customers preferred younger and smoother, that means, not her. She would return home with only enough money to eat.

But then she remembered something. A place. The Figs. A localization that might bring her luck tonight. Not wasting any more time, she stepped her feet in the opposite direction than usual, headed to The Figs. One more day, Iduna. One more day, she thought. 

🍁🍁🍁

"Look at you, girl! Someone very fancy tonight! Who do you dress up for, Ariel? Is Prince Jamie coming tonight?" Cindy poked Ariel's butt which was almost completely visible because she only used a jeans booty shorts and a sexy crop top to cover up her body. 

"Shut up, Cindy. I need to look perfect when he's coming." Ariel fixed her lipstick with the tip of her index finger. She moved her lips to make her lipstick evenly flat in front of a tiny mirror that she always carried in her little purse.

Cindy chuckled. "What will he bring tonight? Luxury watch? Diamond necklace? Diamond earrings? Oh, oh I know, a stack of freshly cut dollar bills that still smells of bank just for you?" Cindy laughed at her own imagination. To her surprise, Ariel didn't seem affected. Ariel then put away her tiny mirror and smiled seductively at her.

"Oh, honey. He won't bring anything tonight." Ariel said casually, playing with Cindy's blonde hair.

"What?! You're kidding right? Do you think you're rich already so you didn't ask him to bring anything for you?" Asked Cindy incredulously. To her having a wealthy customer was an advantage that she had to make good use of before he became bored and looked for another hooker.

"Calm down, Cindy. I didn't ask him to bring luxury things or money tonight because I was going to ask him something that was worth much more than that." Said ariel dreamily. But when she didn't hear Cindy's response, she looked at her friend and smiled. "I'll ask jamie to buy me a house." Ariel said softly. She didn't want other hooker who standing around them to hear her words.

Cindy gasped, she covered her mouth and was temporarily speechless. Her friend's plan was beyond her expectations. All this time she felt that Ariel was quite happy with the luxury things and money that Jamie gave her. But it turned out that this woman in front of her had a much higher ambition than this. She turned worried.

"Ariel, you do know who Jamie is, right? Jamie as a Jamie Frost? The son of Manny Frost? The man who literally controls the business around here?" Cindy paused. Stared at her friend seriously. "Don't play with fire, Ariel. Or, you'll get burn." Cindy reminded Ariel. For her, the idea of asking for a house from the son of a big criminal wasn't a very good idea. Of course, money wasn't a problem for Manny Frost, but 'playing' with his son had its own risks. But ariel laughed out loud, her hand clutched her stomach. 

"Oh, my dear Cindy. The one who is the criminal is the father. Jamie is still kid. He's still unadorned, geeky, flabby and he would do anything for me, as long as I didn't divulge his relationship with me to anyone. Especially his father. What do people say if it turns out that his spoiled son, in his first year of college, has a relationship with a hooker? His super power villain image will be tarnished, and who knows what will happen to Jamie?" Ariel smiled proudly at the brilliant idea of her. 

Cindy stared at Ariel in disbelief, for a moment not knowing what to say. She shook her head slowly and shifted her gaze elsewhere. It was then that she realized the existence of someone who shouldn't be there. She then patted Ariel's shoulder and motioned her head to that person. 

Ariel also directs her gaze following the direction Cindy pointed out. Across the street, there was a woman, around mid fourthy, wearing jeans, a red tank-top, and with her hair down. Is there a hooker in long jeans? Maybe there is, one of them is her. And this place didn't need any extra hooker that could interfere with her income.

An old hooker who suddenly peddled herself where she shouldn't, because it wasn't easy to be able to 'work' at The Figs and if there were new people, Ariel should've known first. Without thinking further, Ariel stepped across the road and approached the intruder.

Meanwhile, after arriving at the place she was going to, Iduna then took off her outer shirt, left her red tank top and began to fix her makeup. When she was ready, she then stood on the side of the road which looked more crowded with people passing by and other prostitutes.

She waved and said seductive words at the man passing by. Some glanced at her and observed her body. At her age that was no longer young, her body still looked good, off course not sexy as the others who were young, because age can't be deceived. But anyone could guess that she was a very beautiful and attractive woman in her youth.

Iduna really hated doing this. It had been a long time since she wanted to quit, but she couldn't. She's been trapped in a vicious circle. She was too busy physically flirting with men, even though her brain and heart were doing the opposite, that she didn't even notice that two people were approaching her. She only realized it when her elbow was pulled so roughly that she was almost knocked off from the sidewalk. 

"What the hell?" Iduna was surprised by what had just happened.

"What the hell?" Ariel scoffed, took a step forward. "You, what the hell! What are you doing here?!"

"Looking for something to eat?" Iduna asked back because everyone knew what prostitutes do at The Figs.

"What? Answer me and don't joke! What are you really doing here?!" Ariel shoved Iduna's shoulder. 

This kid is looking for trouble. And oh, she's so gonna get it, Iduna thought. 

"Working! What do you think you're doing?!" Life is hard, and Iduna had been facing it for nearly half a century. She was used to the cruelty of life and she wasn't going to give up. 

"Heh, you can't work here! You're old, pathetic, wrinkled, and lame. Who wants to fuck you, huh?" Ariel said with a mocking smile. "Get out of here!" She was getting irritated. 

"Why? Is this place belongs to your father? Or your grandfather?" Iduna won't back down either. She took another step forward. 

"You're such a bitch! Aren't you ashamed? You are old, and still working as a whore?! Aren't you ashamed of your child?"

Iduna snapped her head as fast as lightning when she heard her child being mentioned. Her blood was boiling and she just lost it. She grabbed Ariel's hair and pulled her forward. 

"Don't you dare say anything about my daughter! You don't know anything about me and my daughter, you bitch!" Iduna was getting angry and just about to slapped Ariel when suddenly she saw something shiny and sharp was already under her chin. She immediately released her grip on Ariel's hair. 

"Go. Away. From. Here." Ariel growled, pressing the tip of a pocket knife on her chin. "Now!"

Realizing that she had no other choice, Iduna took a step back and then walked away from there. She sobbed as long as she walked. She felt devastated and insignificant. She kept walking and walking until she finally came to a roadside cafe. She then sat on one of the chairs outside and cried uncontrollably. She sat there for a while lamenting her bad luck. Would I be happy in my life? Really, really happy? 

"Welcome." A very large man with a thick mustache smiled kindly, greeted Iduna. "Tea or coffee?" The man offered.

Iduna looked up and felt confused for a moment. "Excuse me?"

"What do you need, Ma'am? Tea or coffee?" The man repeated patiently, a smile still on his face.

"Oh, whichever is cheaper. Thank you." Iduna forced a smile.

"It's on the house, Ma'am. I know you're upset. Let me give you something to ease your mind." He offered another smile.

Iduna sighed softly, "Thank you. Tea will be enough. I really appreciate it." This time her smile was sincere. There's still humanity left in this world. 

🍁🍁🍁

"So, you didn't ask anything this time. Why is that, sexy?" Asked Jamie. The two of them were in the backseat of his car after nearly an hour of non-stop making out. Alex, his driver, was standing outside the car and kept watching from intruders. He grabbed Ariel's breast and squeezed it lightly. He approached her and was about to close the gap between the two of them with a lustful kiss when Ariel stopped him by pushing him back with her hand on his chest.

"Hold on, tiger." Ariel chuckled. "Do you really think I'll ask something every time you ask me to caress your dick and fuck you?" Ariel asked with a seductive smile.

"Off course, darling. Nothing is free in this world." Jamie stole a kiss and then smiled. "What do you want this time?"

And that is her cue. She smiled and leaned closer until her lips almost touched Jamie's earlobe. 

"I want...", she bit his earlobe and continued, "...You buy me a house."

Jamie blinked. Once. Twice. "A house? You want me to buy you a house?" He laughed dryly. "You're kidding, right? Do you know how much a house costs?" He swallowed hard when he realized that Ariel didn't seem like she was joking.

Ariel shrugged and leaned back. "About three-hundred thousand maybe? Four-hundred? I don't know. You pick. But I want one with a swimming pool and a large backyard." She smiled sweetly. This time she came closer again and landed a kiss on Jamie's lips. 

"So, what do you say?" She stroked Jamie's chest and began to unbutton his shirt one by one. She then caressed his half naked chest and played with his nipples.

Usually, under normal circumstances, Jamie will be happy to serve Ariel's seduction. But this time, there was something that made Jamie uncomfortable. He grabbed Ariel's hands and pushed them away.

"I don't think I can do that, Ariel. If you asked for about tens of thousands, I could give you. Right now. But, I don't know about hundreds of thousands. That's a lot." Jamie re-buttoned his shirt one by one.

"Oh please, Jamie. You are the Jamie Frost! Those few hundred thousand is nothing compared to the amount your father got from this place-"

"Don't bring my father into our relationship, Ariel. I've told you about this." Jamie cut Ariel off. His mood turned dark. 

Ariel smirked. Jamie's reaction was just as she had imagined, and maybe, maybe her plan would work, she'd have a new home soon.

"Okay, how about this, you give me the house, and your father will never know that you have a relationship with me."

Jamie snapped his head at this and he squinted his eyes at Ariel. "You're blackmailing me." He concluded. 

Ariel burst out laughing. "Oh My." She waited a few moments for her laughter to die down and then continued. "I'm not blackmailing you. I'm just making a deal. And unfortunately, you have to to say yes. Or else, I'll tell your father myself." Ariel reached for her purse and took her cellphone out of it. 

"I think I have your father number on my phone. Wait a minute," Ariel started fiddling with her cellphone screen.

Jamie was starting to look nervous. He did not want his father to know about his behaviour so far. He did not want to know what his father would do to him if he finally found out.

"Give me your phone, Ariel." Jamie demanded. But it seemed like ariel didn't care. "Ariel! Give me your damn phone!" He reached out for her phone but Ariel was smarter. She lifted her hand higher so that he couldn't reach it. 

Even though Ariel was smarter, Jamie was stronger. He pushed Ariel and tried to grabbed the cellphone. His attempt to reached for her cellphone made Ariel's purse to fall to the floor of the car and its contents scattering out. He stared down for a second and his eyes caught something shiny between the things. He grabbed it, and pointed it at her chest. 

"Give me your phone or I'll stab you." Jamie threatened. His voice was hoarse and his hand trembled slightly. 

Ariel mentally slapped her forehead. The geeky boy in front of her tried to threaten her. 

"Oh my little sweety Jamie, you won't be able to use that knife, even when it's just for chopping carrots. You don't even have to try." She chuckled and kept fiddling wit her cellphone. "Ah! Found it! All I need to do is press the button. What do you say, Jamie?"

Ariel was wrong. So damn wrong. Jamie was so sick of the taunts his father gave him. His father always demanded him to be like him. Gutsy, firm and smart. After graduating from college, his father expected him to be able to help him run his business and one day, replaced him. And right now, he didn't need it from Ariel. 

His blood boiled, his mind turned cloudy, and the next thing he knew, the knife in his hand was already stuck in Ariel's stomach. He gritted his teeth, and stabbed her again. And again.

Ariel's agonized groan brought him to his senses. He released his grip on the knife that still stuck in her stomach. He was feeling petrified but also confused by what he had just done. Ariel coughed up blood, her hands reached out trying to grab Jamie, but Jamie quickly backed off.

What I have done? What should I do now?

Jamie looked out of the car and turned his gaze back to ariel who was starting to breathe heavily.

She's still alive, he thought. He looked out of the car again and yelled, "Alex!"

🍁🍁🍁

Iduna was surprised when she was almost hit by a car from the opposite direction. She didn't really care about her surroundings when she was about to turn in an alley that was getting quiet. Tonight she had had enough. She had given up on what would happen to her tomorrow. If indeed Ursula will kill her, then so be it. She was tired of everything that happened to her.

Her reverie stopped when she heard someone moaning in pain. She looked around for the source of the sound and gasped when she saw someone, a woman lying on the side of the road. She ran towards the woman and knelt beside her. Iduna knew her. This woman who had a fight with her earlier. 

"Oh my God! What happened to you?" Ariel did not answer, her cough was getting worse and her breathing was shallow.

"Oh, God. Your stomach. The knife. You're bleeding really bad." Iduna saw the pool of blood around Ariel's body. She had never once faced such a situation in her life. Like when her hand was pricked by a thorn, she would feel better when the thorn was pulled out. And she applied that logic now. She didn't realize that what she was doing was wrong.

Iduna stared at the knife in her hand which was now covered in blood too. She then looked at Ariel in front of her and realized that her eyes were closed and her chest was no longer seen moving up and down. Her blood ran cold. The view in front of her sent a shiver down her spine.

"You killed her!" Someone cried hysterically. Iduna turned her gaze and realized that something awful was going to happen to her. 

🍁🍁🍁

"For the last time, I didn't do it. I didn't kill her." Iduna cried in front of a police officer. She was finally taken to the police station after being accused of murdering Ariel. There were bruises on her face from the beatings of those who accused her. Her face was messy with bruises and tear stains. Her hair was dishevelled with sweat.

"Look, there's no point in defending yourself here. You can defend yourself later in a court." The police officer said lazily. When it was not even dawn yet, he still had to deal with this.

"Court?" Iduna's face was paler than before. Made the bruises even more visible. 

"Yes. After this paperwork is complete, we will submit it to the court. And while waiting, you will be held in a prison cell. Now, please sign here." He pointed his finger to the paper on the table. 

Iduna did what she was told. With a mixed thoughts and unable to think clearly, she reached for the pen and signed the paper.

🍁🍁🍁

"I almost thought that you could finally wake up late."

Jack's voice made her stop in her track. Elsa was just about to enter the dining room while reading something on her cellphone. She looked up and her lips automatically curved a smile, she was a little surprised, but it was a pleasant surprise to see Jack already sitting at the dinner table. She stopped looking at her cellphone screen and continued on her way to the dining room.

"A Queen is never late. Everyone else is simply early." Elsa said, with an elegance that only a royal blood could do. 

Jack chuckled. "Thouché."

Elsa let out a laugh and then sat down at her usual chair and put her kelly bag in the chair beside her. 

"Good morning, Jack." Elsa offered smile that Jack gladly accepted. He always loved her beautiful smile. 

"Good morning, Elsa. You look beautiful today." He said his compliment, but to his surprise, Elsa frowned at this. 

"Didn't I always?" Elsa pretended to be annoyed.

"Okay, okay. You look beautiful everyday, Elsa. And you will always look beautiful forever. And ever. Satisfied?" Jack smirked and felt a little proud with himself when he made Elsa giggle. 

"Very."

"Good morning, Miss Elsa. Tea or Coffee?" Olina's voice made Elsa turned her gaze at her and offered another smile. 

"Good morning, Olina. Tea, please. Thank you." Elsa watched as Olina poured the tea into her cup. 

"And your toast is ready. What do you want your toast with?"

"Butter. And, about Jack-"

"Elsa, I already told Olina about my toast. Don't worry." Jack interrupted. Elsa raised an eyebrow. "I want my toast with bacon, eggs, avocado and mustard. And pickel with a little bit of salt and olive oil. I hope I don't make your kitchen out of stock." Jack grinned and winked at Olina. She smiled shyly dan put Elsa's plate down. And after that, Olina hurried herself to the kitchen to prepare Jack's toast. 

"So, what made you come so early, Jack? You didn't tell me you were coming." Elsa took her bread knife and spread butter on the toast, which was still slightly warm. 

"I have a surprise for you."

Elsa stopped spreading butter when she heard that. "What surprise? This better be not another paper rose, Jack." Elsa squinted her eyes at Jack, suspicious of what surprise Jack had.

"Aww, Elsa. You loved my paper rose. I know you still have it in your study."

"Off course I loved your paper rose, and I still do. Because the real rose always makes me sick. You know I'm allergic to pollen, right?"

Jack nodded. "And that's why I spent hours learning-" 

"How to make origami roses on YouTube." Elsa continued for him. "Yeah, I knew. You already told me that." She had finished buttering the toast and started eating it. 

"So tell me, why are you really here?" She stared at him while chewing her toast. Even though she spoke while chewing, she still managed to look poised and sophisticated.

"Can I wait until my food comes and I eat first and then tell you the surprise?" Jack begged. He had always loved Olina cooking and he knew, if he said it now, he probably wouldn't have had time to eat his fancy breakfast.

Elsa smiled sweetly and tilted her head in consideration. "Ehm, no?" She let out a laugh when she saw Jack pouted. "It's your own fault, you said you had a surprise for me when your breakfast wasn't here yet. You know I can't wait when it comes to this kind of thing."

Jack grunted softly, and knowing he had no other choice, he took something under his jacket which he placed on the chair next to him. Like a newspaper fold. He opened it and when it was in the article he wanted to show Elsa, Jack folded it again and handed it to her.

"What's this?" Elsa asked confused, she put her knife and fork down and then received the newspaper from Jack. 

"Read it." 

Elsa did what Jack told her to do and read the article. Her brows furrowed in concentration, and after a while, Elsa looked up at Jack.

"This is the case of prostitute killing prostitute last night. What about it?"

Jack moved his hand as if to make Elsa understand by herself, but when Elsa raised an eyebrow, Jack sighed softly. 

"The prostitutes? The Figs? The possibility of murder?" Jack let out clues.

Elsa put two and two together and then it clicked. "Manny Frost." She wishpered. She then put the newspaper down and quickly took a sip of her tea. "We are going to the police station, Jack. Right now. Come on." She rose from her chair and began to prepare her bag. 

"What about my breakfast?" Jack protested. 

"Tell Olina to pack it in tupperware." Elsa was ready to leave.

"But I'm driving." Jack saw Elsa walking away. "How can I eat when I'm supposed to drive?!" He had to scream because Elsa had already left the dining table.

"I'll feed you, Jackson Overland! No more excuses. Come on, I'll wait in the car!" Came the reply from Elsa who had shouted too.

Jack sighed heavily. "So much for telling her the surprise before breakfast. Bad idea, very bad idea." Jack muttered. But then he grinned widely when he realized that he was about to be fed by Elsa. The one and only Elsa Winters. 

He took a big gulp of his coffee and then went to the kitchen. 

🍁🍁🍁

Elsa didn't really listen when Jack and Detective Bud Morris, the officer in charge of the prostitute case, talked about what happened last night. Jack and Elsa arrived at the police station about an hour ago and immediately asked for information from the authorities. After hearing the detective Morris's version, Elsa asked permission to view the files of the woman.

Elsa stared at the photo in her hand, it was the photo of the prostitute who had been arrested that night. Iduna Singleir. The woman was wearing a red tank top, holding a sign with her name and number and standing in front of the height gauge. 

Elsa unconsciously traced the woman's face in the photo with her fingers. There were bruises and tear marks on her face, and her hair looked dishevelled. Elsa's fingers stopped when it reached her eyes. There was something she couldn't just take her eyes off from there. Something familiar but Elsa couldn't remember where it came from. Her eyes were so delicate and.... tired. Maybe she tired of her life, Elsa thought. 

Her being a prostitute was one thing, but somehow, Elsa was not sure the woman in this photo was capable of taking someone's life away. She knew very well that looks could be deceiving, but for this one she had the feeling that this prostitute was innocent. Maybe she was in the wrong place at the wrong time? Maybe. 

"I want to apply myself to be her lawyer."


	3. The Defender

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you very much for taking the time to read this story and kudos! Any kind of support will be very appreciated 😘

"I want to apply myself to be her lawyer."

Elsa blurted out her words subconsciously. She looked up and saw Jack and Detective Morris looking at her in surprise. But then Jack chuckled and smirked, it was no wonder that Elsa was so spontaneous. Ever since meeting her in college more than eight years ago, he knew her very well. Hard worker, determined, never give up, and smart was the definitions of Elsa Winters.

But what made Jack even more amazed by Elsa was, she didn't hesitate to help anyone in need selflessly, and Jack was pretty sure where this conversation would go.

"I'm sorry, what did you just say?" Asked Detective Morris confirming. His forehead creased and then he tilted his head, making his half-bald head look even more shiny from the light in the room.

"I want to be her lawyer. I want to be her defender." Elsa repeated.

Detective Morris snorted. "Miss Winters. I know that you are a good lawyer. A really good lawyer. But, I don't think that that prostitute-"

"Ms. Singleir. Her name is Ms. Singleir." Elsa said sharply, she doesn't like it when people call other people by names. Yes, her job was as a prostitute, but she had the same right as others to be called by her own name.

Detective Morris stared at Elsa blankly for a moment before continuing.

"Alright. I don't think that Ms. Singleir will be able to afford you as her lawyer."

"I won't charge people who can't afford to pay me. I will help as much as I can to defend justice." Elsa said firmly. Her eyes were full of conviction and now Detective Morris knew the reason Elsa was being called a very good lawyer.

Detective Morris sighed and looked elsewhere. Jack frowned.

"Is there any problems, Detective?" Asked Jack.

"No, it's just that if we send this case to the public defender, it's going to be really hard to find a lawyer. Because from the information we've got so far from the crime scene, the evidences are incriminating Ms. Singleir."

"We don't know whether she's guilty or not until everything is proven in a court." Elsa smiled. "Where do i sign?"

🍁🍁🍁

"Prisoner number 2362, you have a visitor."

Came a voice from outside the cell, shocking Iduna whose thoughts were drifting away. She looked up and saw a guard tried to open the cell door and open it.

She stood up slowly, her body still a little sore from the incident last night, people not only beat her face but also some parts of her body.

The guard led her along the hallway to the visiting place. Along the way, she wondered who would be willing to visit her. After all, she didn't have anyone who cared about her existence.

Iduna continued to stare at the floor until finally the guard stopped and opened the connecting door to the visiting place. The guard then led her again through the door and that was when she saw someone she really didn't want to see right now. When she was at the lowest point in her life.

All this time she had always believed that thunder only happens when it's raining, life is not only filled with sadness and heartbreak, and when there is thunder, there is accompanying lightning, which means there is a light that gives hope. But at this time, she started to think that the rain in her world would never stop.

Iduna saw Elsa was standing and chatting with a man with silvery white hair and another person who she knew was the police officer who handled her case. She had been interrogated by him early this morning as soon as she got to the police station after she was asked to sign several paperworks by other officers.

Iduna's motherly instincts kicked in when she saw the silvery white haired man gently rubbed Elsa's back while saying something in her ear. Who is he, dare to be that close to my daughter? She thought. Her brows furrowed.

Iduna was a little taken aback when the man's blue eyes caught hers, they stared at each other for a few seconds. She saw the man was trying to tell Elsa about her arrival, and sure enough, Elsa immediately turned around and looked at her straight in the eyes.

Iduna stopped. She was eager to turn around and run back to her cell. She felt that she didn't deserve to meet Elsa in this kind of circumstances, let alone sit at the same table together. But she was about too late. Elsa was already standing facing her, her hands folded politely in front of her, and she smiled at her. Smiled.

The silvery white haired man said something to Elsa and not long after that, he left with the police officer.

The officer who led Iduna slightly tugged her to continue. She looked back at the floor but she could feel Elsa's gaze on her. Even after she sat down, she couldn't look straight at Elsa. She felt very ashamed.

"Good morning, Ms. Singleir." Elsa began. "My name is-"

"Elsa Winters, born December 21 1989." Iduna unconsciously continued Elsa's words. But when she saw the confusion on Elsa's face, she realized what she had said and she cleared her throat. "I'm sorry, I read that information in the newspaper." She looked down again.

"It's okay, Ms. Singleir. But I was born on January 21 1990 not December 21 1989." Elsa smiled. "I am here as your lawyer. I have applied myself as your lawyer to help you through this. I will be with you throughout this process and I will always be with you in the court when the trial starts."

Iduna's eyes widened looking at Elsa even though her face was still facing down. Her daughter wants to defend her and help her in the court? She was speechless, her brain suddenly couldn't think. She wanted to defend someone she didn't know, who was a prostitute, accused of murdering another prostitute, and she didn't even know yet whether this woman she was defending did commit all those accusations or not. Her mind was about to explode.

"Now, can you tell me about what happened last night?"

Elsa's voice broke her reverie and she saw Elsa taking out her notebook and setting her cell phone to record. Her mind was unable to think straight when she was asked to recall last night's incident again. Her tongue was stiff and her throat felt dry. She couldn't say anything.

"Ms. Singleir?" Elsa tried to get Iduna's attention because she felt Iduna was too quiet. "Ms. Singleir? Are you alright? You're not sick, are you?"

For Elsa, when she saw Iduna for the first time, her heart broke. Iduna's eyes was filled with sorrow. Like she was so done with her life. For some reason, she couldn't see Iduna as a prostitute, couldn't see her as a prisoner accused of murder. But as a woman who longs for a better life.

When Elsa saw her walking around with a slight grimace, her eyes landed on several bruises on her face. Could it be not just her face that was bruised? But Elsa still offered her, her best smile.

Therefore, when Iduna did not respond to some of her words, other than when she mispronounced the time of her birth, Elsa thought that she was sick. Elsa's question was filled with worry, because she was really concerned about the woman in front of her.

"Ms. Singleir, you're not sick, are you?" Elsa then got up and intended to sit in the chair next to Iduna but before Elsa sat down, Iduna got up as if trying to avoid her.

"Don't defend me." She blurted out, standing away from Elsa.

"What?" Elsa was confused. But she still wanted to try. "Ms. Singleir, I'm here to help you. Can you tell me what happened last night?"

"Please, don't defend me." Iduna pleaded, finally looking at Elsa.

"But, why? Why don't you want me to be your defender?" Elsa took a step forward, but it seemed to make Iduna feel even more fidgety.

"Just don't defend me. Please." And then she swiftly walked away from there.

Iduna walked quickly towards the connecting door, where Jack and Detective Morris were standing and waiting while talking to the officer in charge of monitoring her. Elsa was quickly following behind.

Iduna grabbed the officer's arm and asked him to take her back to the cell.

"Please officer, please take me back to the cell. I don't want to be defended by her. It's better for me to go to prison than to be defended by her."

The officer, Detective Morris and Jack looked at each other. Then when Elsa got there, they looked at Elsa confused. She shook her head as a sign that she didn't even know.

Meanwhile, Iduna increasingly insisted on returning to her cell. And the officer finally opened the connecting door and led Iduna into it.

Elsa almost wanted to come in when Jack held her gently because other than officers were prohibited from entering. Trying to understand, she could only stare at the back of the woman walking away.

"We better get back to the office." Detective Morris broke the silence among them and then walked out from the visiting place.

🍁🍁🍁

"You okay?" Asked Jack when they were on their way to the office. Jack had to split his concentration between the steering wheel and Elsa who hadn't spoken a word since they left the police station.

"Hm?" Came a reply from Elsa. She didn't really pay attentions to her surrounding, her mind was busy thinking about her 'do not want to be defended' client. Elsa looked up at Jack in confusion.

"Are you okay? You're quiet."

Elsa sighed softly and then looked out the window. "I don't get it."

"Don't get it what?"

"Why she didn't want to be defended by me? Is there something wrong with me, Jack?" Elsa looked back at Jack seriously.

Jack chuckled hearing this. "There's nothing wrong with you, Elsa. Maybe she has her own reason. Or, " Jack paused, pulling the hand-brake because they were at a red light. "Or maybe there's pressure from outside."

Elsa's brows furrowed. "Yeah. I thought about that too. If there's pressure from outside, do you think it's Manny Frost?"

"You can't accuse Manny Frost just like that, Elsa. We don't know whether this case has anything to do with him or not."

"Yet."

Jack sighed and returned to running the car after the light turned green. "Alright. We don't know yet."

"Jack, if Ms. Singleir is going to the court without a lawyer, I'm pretty sure she'll be convicted. And if she goes to jail, there must be someone who will benefit. And that someone is Manny frost." Said Elsa with confidence. She was already sitting facing Jack.

For her, this case was originally going to be used as a starting point to uncover Manny Frost's dark business, but when she met Iduna, and she firmly believed that Iduna was innocent, she had more motivation to win this case.

"What if it was Ms. Singleir? What if she did murder that prostitute?" Asked Jack carefully. He didn't want Elsa to feel like he was accusing Ms. sinclair. He was just trying to think of another possibility.

"My feeling says no. You do know, The Figs is under Manny Frost control. Every business, starting from prostitution, drugs and even human trafficking can be found there. He was just too clever at tricking the police. But for this time, Jack, if this case has anything to do with him, I'll drag him to jail with my own hands." Said Elsa with conviction.

Jack smiled understandingly. He was impressed of Elsa's convictions and all this time, if she had felt very confident about her intuition, it might be true. But it takes a lot of investigation to prove it.

"I've spoken to Detective Morris and he's given me names we might ask for information. We can go to the crime scene tonight. If you want."

Elsa smiled at the thought. "Sounds like a plan."

"But first, I think we should stop by to grab lunch. What do you want for lunch?"

Elsa thought for a moment and looked at her watch. She, who this morning didn't have time to finish her breakfast, did feel a little hungry. However, in her mind she still had much work to do because she spent her morning at the police station.

"I don't know about that, Jack. I have so much to do."

Jack stared at Elsa for a moment. No wonder to him when Elsa started to skip meals when she was busy with work, and he didn't like it.

"I will ask Lucy to buy our lunch. Your favourite." Jack smiled. "You have to eat, Elsa. You have a criminal to catch. You need the energy."

Elsa laughed and nodded. "Alright. Whatever you say, Jack. Whatever you say."

🍁🍁🍁

"The last person Ariel has been with, is Jamie-"

"Jamie?" Elsa was surprised to hear that name. At the moment, she and Jack were at The Figs. She was trying to find as much information as possible. 

She sat on a bench near a park not far from the crime scene with Jack on her left and a young woman named Cindy on her right. She seriously listened to Cindy's explanation until he heard that name.

"Yes, Jamie. Jamie Frost. The son of the 'owner' of this place." She moved her index and middle fingers on the sides of her head like quotation marks.

"I'm sure that that handsome over there knows who Jamie Frost is. Right, handsome?" Cindy winked her eye at Jack. She did a hang loose sign with her right hand and moved it near her ear. Then, winked again.

Elsa noticed. She looked at Jack who suddenly scratched his neck which was not itchy, then looked at Cindy, who was still smiling seductively at Jack. Her forehead creased in dislike. She didn't like it.

Elsa cleared her throat. "So, what happened next?" Elsa asked, a hint of irritation in her voice.

Cindy was forced to refocus to Elsa. "After the last time I met Ariel, we parted ways. Until I found Ariel dead because of several punctures in her stomach. And beside Ariel there was that old hooker. Even though the last time I met Ariel, she said she wanted to meet Jamie, I'm not sure if Jamie did it. I'm sure that old hooker did it."

"And why is that?"

Cindy laughed at Elsa's question. Elsa had to wait until Cindy finished laughing and then started answering Elsa's questions.

"Geez! This is Jamie we were talking about! This child is really geeky. He's handsome off course, but he's still a college kid, lousy, and he can't possibly commit murder. He steps on dog shit, it won't squeeze."

Elsa glanced at Jack intermittently. She really didn't like it when Cindy talked while teasing Jack. And it looked like Jack was enjoying it too. Elsa felt she had to end the conversation with Cindy as soon as possible.

🍁🍁🍁

"So, that prostitute's stuff upstairs, I'll sell it. Because she hasn't paid the rent for the flat in three months." Madam Ursula told Elsa. She was a little annoyed that she was woken up almost at midnight, because someone wanted to meet her and ask about Iduna. Her hands rested on her waist, still in her night gown and hair rollers.

"Ms. Singleir hasn't paid rent in three months?" Elsa asked incredulously.

Madam Ursula scoffed. Hearing Iduna's name properly, sounded strange to her ears.

"A woman like her doesn't deserve to be called Ms. Just call a whore! It just suits her." She took a step forward. Made Elsa lean back a little.

Elsa didn't like the words that came out from Madam Ursula's mouth. She cleared her throat and tried to change the subject.

"Madam, how long has she been working as a prostitute?" Asked Elsa, trying hard to stay polite.

"It is been a long time. Because when she came here, she was already a whore. But young lady, that time, My God! Men were scrambling to fuck her. Now?" Madam Ursula laughed, a deafening laugh. "No one wants her even for two bucks. She is old and wrinkled." She continued to laugh.

Elsa cringed at that. "Where is her room, Madam?"

After Madam Ursula was satisfied laughing, she nodded and gestured her head upstairs. Where Iduna's room was.

"Come on, I'll show you her room."

She then headed for the stairs and started climbing them. Elsa followed behind her. But when she felt that Jack was not following her, she stopped and looked back. Her forehead creased when she saw Jack leaning against the wall, near a flat, and someone standing in the doorway in a mini nightgown smiling seductively at Jack. Elsa didn't like it. Really didn't like it.

"Jack! Come on!" Called Elsa when she was already halfway.

"I'll be there, Elsa. I want to ask about Ms. Singleir first." Jack replied, smiling reassuringly.

Elsa stared at Jack for a moment. All this time she had not gotten used to seeing Jack land his gaze on other women. She didn't realize it untill tonight, that she didn't like it when Jack did that. She pursed her lips and continued her way up.

A musty smell greeted her when Elsa entered Iduna's flat. The room was poorly lit, she had to adjust her gaze so that she could see clearly.

Her heart sank to see the condition of Iduna's flat. Not much furniture in it, a mattress without a divan, a wardrobe, a vanity without a mirror with a comb and some accessories on it.

She wandered around for a while, until her eyes were fixed on a wall decoration in the shape of a small house with a very old black and white photo. She picked it up, studied it for a few moments until she could identify who it was in the photo.

In the photo was a young Iduna, in her twenties, looking very beautiful and happy. Very different from the one Elsa remembered the last time she met her. Her big smile looked very sincere and honest like she was the happiest woman in the world. The joy in her smile shone through her eyes. She felt that there could be no one happier than that.

She seemed to be carrying a baby in her arms. The baby's face was out of sight, hidden securely in the warmth of a blanket. She rubbed the surface of the photo with her fingers, her eyes could not escape from the figure of Iduna holding a baby. "Is that her child?"

Her heart tightens as she wonders what a mother's embrace would feel like. How it feels to be embraced by a mother who loves her child so much. She had never felt how beautiful, comfortable and warm it was from a mother's embrace. Is that true? She never knew.

She didn't realise her tears fall. She didn't even notice when her eyelids filled with tears until they finally fell down her cheeks. A single tear fell over the photo which brought her to her senses. Her chest tightened even more and her throat caught as she tried to hold back the sobs that wanted to escape from her throat.

She looked away and pressed her nose with the back of her hand that was holding the photo. One hand clenched the hem of her dress on her chest. Her tears could no longer be contained and she did not try to hold them back. She burst into tears because of that photo.

"Els? What happened? Why are you crying?" Jack just got into the flat and was surprised to see Elsa crying.

So far, he had known her as a tough woman who always stands up to life's challenges. She didn't even cry when her adoptive parents died five years ago. But Jack knew, Elsa actually had a soft and fragile heart. Only that she didn't show it in public. No one knew the real Elsa behind the closed door of her room.

Elsa couldn't find her voice yet and could only hand over the photo to Jack. He accepted it and studied it.

"Are you crying because of this?"

Again, Elsa was speechless, she could only nod and continued to cry. It pained Jack to see Elsa like this. How can a single photo make her cry like this?

"Oh, Elsa. Come here." Jack stretched out his arms and without hesitation Elsa got into Jack's arms. He rubbed Elsa's back soothingly and whispered comforting words.

After Elsa had more control over herself, she pulled back from the hug. Even though Jack's arms were still firmly on her body.

"I don't know, Jack. I was touched when I saw that photo." Elsa tried to wipe her tears with a little help from Jack. "Someone like Ms. Singleir alone, can hold her child like that. While me?" She looked up at Jack, bloodshot eyes with tears.

"I have never felt a mother's embrace. Never, Jack." She went back into his arms and wept bitterly.

"I was dumped in an orphanage, Jack."

🍁🍁🍁

"Your Honour, the members of this jury find the defendant, Mr. Jamie Frost GUILTY and recommend the death penalty." 

"No! No death penalty! I still want to live!"

Jamie struggled to move his hands which turned out to be handcuffed behind his back. He saw the jurors start laughing and pointed at him shouting.

"Murderer!"

He was so scared, he looked up at the judge and he saw the judge starting to laugh. She raised the gavel and prepared to hit the block.

"May God have mercy upon your soul!"

The judge hit the block with her gavel and everyone in that room started to laughing and shouting "Murderer!" Over and over again.

Jamie started crying and he was even more scared when he saw another figure approaching him.

Shrill laughter, fiery red hair sticking out very well with the long white shirt she was wearing.

"Hello, dear Jamie. You will soon be executed. We'll meet soon, darling. We will meet soon!" Ariel said, leaning over Jamie's face and then bursting into laughter.

"No! No! Please, No! I still want to live!"

"Jamie!"

"NO!"

Jamie woke up from a nightmare and sat up immediately. Sweat flooded his body and face. Clothes, sheets, pillows and bolsters scattered on his bed.

In front of him sat his mother, Emelia Frost, who looked at him worriedly. Jamie was still struggling when he started hearing his mother's voice.

"Jamie! Look at me! What happened?! Did you have a nightmare? Jamie!" Emilia asked repeatedly because Jamie didn't recognize his surrounding immediately.

"Mom?"

🍁🍁🍁

It was almost dawn when Jack parked the car in the driveway of Elsa's Mansion, he signaled to Marshall that he didn't have to open the door for Elsa because she was fast asleep in the passenger seat.

Jack turned off the car engine and turned to face Elsa. She looked very peaceful in her sleep with her pink lips slightly ajar. Her breath was calm and her chest heaved slowly.

He brushed a strand of hair from her face and caressed her cheek very carefully. Jack sighed softly and pulled his hand back.

I see you, walking everyday

With a smile beneath frown

But I won't look away

What does it mean?

What's there to see, if I look closer?

You don't see me, watching every day

My smile could warm your frown

And I'd never look away, there's more to me

han what you see, when you look closer-

"I'm gonna sue you with the misconduct article if you keep looking at me like that, Jack."


	4. Closer

"I'm gonna sue you with the misconduct article if you keep looking at me like that, Jack."

Elsa smiled crookedly even though her eyes were still closed. Immediately made Jack's eyes widen because he was caught staring at her when she was sleeping. If only Jack had not caressed her cheek, even though he was very careful, she might still be asleep. Off course Elsa felt it, she was a light sleeper.

"Sorry. There's something on your cheek." Jack scratched his nape and smiled nervously.

"Right. There's something on my cheek." Elsa said, opening her blue eyes. Her lopsided smile still on her face and her teasing words made Jack cringed.

Elsa rubbed her face and let out a long sigh. She straightened her seat because her position had slipped slightly downward. Now, she regretted falling asleep in the car, because her neck was sore. She massaged several parts of her neck.

"Where are we?" Elsa looked around. Her hand lifted to her mouth to stifle a yawn.

"We are already at your house."

Elsa nodded slowly recognizing the building in front of her. She stared blankly at something in front of her for a moment, remembering what happened last night.

"Jack."

"Hm?"

"Where do you think Ms. Singleir' child now?" Elsa asked, turning her head at Jack. Apart from drowsiness, her eyes looked blank. As if her mind was far away.

Jack shrugged a little and shook his head, his lips pursed as a sign that he was trying to think. He looked away for a moment before looking back at Elsa.

"I don't know, Els. Maybe out of town? Or maybe," Jack took a deep breath. "The child is already dead." Jack said the truth. The last possibility was very difficult for him to say, but he thought it might be true, which he knew from the information he got, Ms. Singleir did not have a single family in this town.

Hearing Jack's words, Elsa's chest tightened. She wasn't lying, that possibility had crossed her mind. It's just that when she heard it from other people, she felt something strange in her heart. She looked away and found out that the morning sun was about to rise.

"Poor her. If she finds out that her mother went to prison and she is still alive... " She said slowly. She was unable to say what might have happened. There was a lump in her throat that made her speechless. She shook her head.

Elsa looked back at Jack and gave him a sad smile. She raised her hand and combed Jack's silvery white hair with it.

"Bye, Jackson. Thank you for last night."

Jack gave her the same sad smile, though he realized his cheeks were hot because of what Elsa did to him. His heartbeat accelerated, but he didn't really care about it for now.

"You're welcome. Rest for now. And don't you even try to go to the office today." Jack raised his index finger when he saw Elsa was about to protest. "Rest. Trust Lucy. She's more capable than you think, you know." Jack added.

"But I'm still going to the police station this afternoon. I have to know why she doesn't want me to be her lawyer and I need to meet Detective Morris as well."

"Do you want me to take you there?"

Elsa smiled and shook her head. "Thank you, Jack. But I'll ask Kai to take me. You need to rest too." She gave him another smile and began preparing her belongings to get out of the car.

"Bye. Drive safely, Jack." She waved her hand a little and got out from the car.

"Bye."

Jack continued to observe Elsa's figure as she walked to the porch after Marshall helped with her bag. He waited until Elsa entered the house before finally starting the car engine and driving the car out of the driveway.

🍁🍁🍁

"Stupid!" His cigar-free hand smacked Jamie's cheek.

"Manny!" Emelia screamed as Jamie's body landed hard on the sofa where she was sitting. Her arm reflexively hugged her son and one hand stroked Jamie's cheek, which was red in the form of a hand. Jamie himself was already sobbing, either because of the pain in his cheek or the wrath of his father.

"Talk to me! What did you do this time, huh?! Talk!" Manny shouted over Jamie's head. He was fed up with her son's behavior. All this time he had always kept an eye on his son so that he would know all what his son was doing. Whatever his son's bad behavior, he considered it a juvenile delinquency. But this time he missed something, something was wrong.

Manny straightened his back and took a deep puff on his cigar. He paced back and forth the living room and for this time, it didn't seem like the cigar could calm his nerves. He still wanted to let go of his wrath.

"If you don't want to talk, I will kick you out of this house. I don't want to get involved with your problems anymore!" Said Manny firmly. He took another puff on his cigar.

Emelia couldn't believe what she had just heard. She snapped her head at her husband. Jamie seemed to be increasingly afraid of his father's threats, he sobbed even more. He got deeper into his mother's arms.

"Manny! What did you-?"

"I don't care!" Manny cut Emelia off. He then walked over to Jamie. "Hey, you want to throw the gauntlet to me? Want to come along like your brother Jackson? Want to get out of this house too? Huh?!" He paused, then grabbed Jamie's shoulder harshly. "Get out of here! Get out!"

Manny was just about to shove Jamie to the floor when Emelia stopped him. She grabbed Jamie and hid him behind her body, acting like a shield. She had already lost one son for ten years, and she wouldn't be able to lose Jamie too.

"Enough!" Emelia glared at her husband and the two of them glared at each other for a moment. In the end it was Manny who turned first and turned his back on her.

Emelia turned around and looked at her son. She placed her hands on his cheeks and made him stare at her.

"Jamie, what did you do? Tell me." Her voice was soft but firm. Encouraged him.

Jamie swallowed hard. He looked into his mother's eyes and her father's back and then back to his mother's eyes. He took a deep breath and thought it would be better if he confessed. There was no point in lying to his father because sooner or later, his father would find out by himself.

"I-i killed someone." Jamie stuttered. He was already prepared for what would happen next. He closed his eyes tightly.

Emelia gasped, Manny's shoulders stiffened, the cigar that had almost reached his mouth stopped in the air. And then the next thing that happened was Emelia's body hit the floor with a loud thud.

🍁🍁🍁

"Don't defend me."

Those words that came back out of Iduna's mouth when Elsa asked to meet her again. But this time Elsa came with more determination. She was determined that if Iduna still didn't want to be defended by her, she had to come up with a good reason.

Elsa grabbed Iduna's hand when Iduna tried to avoid her again. Her grip was firm but meant no harm. Iduna's eyes widened when she saw Elsa's hand holding hers.The first touch after twenty-five years.

Iduna was already half standing when Elsa's hand moved from her hand and shifted to grip her wrist, this time managed to make her stare at Elsa right in the eye.

"But there has to be a reason, right?" Elsa paused. "Ms. Singleir, if you don't want to be defended by me, okay, I'll resign as your lawyer, but on one condition. You must tell me, why don't you want to be defended by me?"

Iduna couldn't say anything because she didn't have the answer for that question. There is no way she answered, 'because you are my daughter and I do not want you to know that your mother is a prostitute accused of murder'.

She kept staring at Elsa who was still holding her wrist and saw her determination to be her lawyer. Her heart crushed. For a quarter century she hadn't been able to be at the side of her daughter, never being able to hear her wish, let alone fulfill them. And this time, her daughter asked her for something, oh, how she wanted to grant her wish. Should she do that? Iduna's tears started flowing and she couldn't hold back the sobs that came out.

Elsa was a little stunned when she saw her cry instead. Which words made her cry? Did she say something wrong? Her reverie made her grip on Iduna's wrist loosen and Iduna was about to break free, but she hurriedly grabbed it again. This time she gripped Iduna's hand tightly.

"If you can't tell me the reason why, I will never resign as your lawyer, Ms. Singleir. Never." Said Elsa firmly.

Seeing the firmness on her daughter's face, Iduna felt she had no other choice. She wouldn't be able to avoid her forever. Could this be a God's way of reuniting her with her daughter? Maybe the rain in her world would finally end soon? She wasn't sure. But at least she gave a chance to her heart that longed for her daughter to be by her side. This time she let her heart do the talking and let her brain give in.

Although she didn't nod or shake her head or utter a word because her sobs still dominated, but from her gesture, Elsa felt very relieved when Iduna finally sat back down trying to calm down until her sobs subsided.

"May I?" Elsa asked carefully. She realized that the emotions of the woman in front of her had changed from what was initially very sure she did not want to be defended by her, to now began to hesitate.

And Elsa couldn't be happier when she saw Iduna finally nodded her head slightly. She sighed in relief and her smile couldn't have gotten any wider. She then squeezed Iduna's hand and let go.

"Yes, you may." Said Iduna, looking up at Elsa with tears still in her eyes. And she was over the moon that finally she could see her daughter's smile from this close. Regardless the circumstances that surrounded her at the moment.

🍁🍁🍁

"Don't forget to print this file and please, put it on my desk after that, okay? Thank you, Lucy." Jack said, he was standing hunched over beside Lucy with one hand on the table and the other hand on the back of the chair where Lucy sat. His eyes were still seriously staring at the computer screen on Lucy's desk.

"I'm glad you guys finally get along well and don't tease each other anymore."

Jack looked up and found Elsa's beaming face across Lucy's table. For a moment, Jack was fascinated by Elsa's appearance that was not too different from usual, only this time there was a cheerful aura emanating from her figure. Nothing different from the way she was dressed, but he realized that the look in her eyes was different. A good difference.

But then, Jack's forehead frowned. Elsa shouldn't have come to the office today, he warned her this morning not to come to the office today. But then, here she was.

"What are you doing here?" Jack asked, he walked around Lucy's table and stood right in front of Elsa. He put both hands into the pockets of his light brown khaki trousers and looked down at her.

Elsa raised an eyebrow and crossed her arms, the cheerful aura was already gone.

"What? Am I not allowed to come to my own office? This office belongs to both of us, Jack. You and I have the same rights." She then walked past Jack and stopped in front of Lucy's desk, leaving Jack dumbfounded.

"Good afternoon, Miss Elsa. It's nice to see you." Said Lucy, greeting one of her bosses.

"Good afternoon, Lucy. Did you do everything I asked this morning? Have you checked all the files I emailed you? It should be ready by tomorrow morning, Lucy." Asked Elsa seriously. One hand rested on Lucy's table.

"I have done everything, Miss Elsa. I've already emailed back to you, only need your approval, and then I'll print it out." Lucy answered confidently, making Elsa's cheerful aura come back.

"Good. I'll be in my room, then. Thank you, Lucy." Elsa then left Lucy's table and immediately walked to her room not far from there.

"Elsa! Wait!" Jack followed Elsa from behind and as a gentleman, he walked past her and opened the door for her.

"Milady." Jack slightly bowed and let her in.

Elsa just chuckled and went straight into the room. She put her bag on the table, turned on the computer and sorted the files on the table.

"You're happy. Did your meeting with Ms. Singleir go smoothly?" Asked Jack. And saw Elsa just glancing at him and smirked, he already knew the answer. He punched the air with his fist. "I knew it! What did you say to convince her?"

Elsa sighed softly and put the papers back on the table. She then sat down in her armchair, turned it around until she could stare at the now-seated Jack at the edge of her desk. She smiled at him.

"I just can't lose this case without a fight, Jack. I told Ms. singleir that I wouldn't resign as her lawyer if she couldn't tell me the reason why. And she couldn't say anything." She turned her chair slightly so that she was now facing the window. Her gaze turned pensive.

Jack realized it, he was just about to ask what was on Elsa's mind, when someone knocked on the door of Elsa's room. A second later, Lucy's face appeared from behind the door. Followed by a figure behind lucy.

"Miss Elsa, there is someone who wants to see you." Lucy said informing her, but that someone was impatient and immediately went into Elsa's room even though he wasn't invited to enter yet.

"Uncle Douglas!" Elsa immediately stood up and walked around the table to greet her guest. Jack, who also knew who the guest was, then stood up and tidied himself up, trying to look handsome.

A short, round man in a white suit, beard and white hair neatly combed to the side spread his arms and prepared to receive a hug from Elsa.

"My darling, Elsa! How have you been?" Douglas greeted his niece after he pulled back form the hug. He looked at Elsa's face carefully and landed a kiss on her forehead even though he had to tiptoe to reach it.

"I'm alright, Uncle." Elsa smiled sweetly and turned to look at Lucy. "Thank you, Lucy." And with that, Lucy left the room.

"How have you been? Aunt Laura? And Paige?" She turned back at Douglas.

"Ah, they're fine. They send greetings to you. Actually, they'd love to see you but it's really hard to match our schedule. So, here I am, alone to meet you." Douglas glanced behind Elsa, realized someone else was in the room. "Is that my Jackie boy?" His eyes squinted at Jack.

Jack chuckled and walked over to Douglas. He held out his hand for a handshake. "Yes, I am. It's nice to meet you, Uncle D."

"It's nice to meet you too, Jack." He paused. "Look, I don't mean to be rude or anything, it's just that I wanted to talk to Elsa about something really important. Do you mind? I promise I'll take you for coffee after this. Sounds good?"

Jack and Elsa stared at each other for a moment as if communicating through the eye. Jack nodded understandingly as Elsa gave a reassuring look that everything would be all right.

"Sounds great, Uncle D. I'll leave you two, then."

And after Jack left the room, Elsa and Douglas sat on the couch in the room. Douglas's face turned serious, and Elsa could immediately guess what they were going to talk about this time.

"Uncle, if you still ask me to join the company, my answer is still the same. My passion is in the field of law, and I could not allow the company my Dad had started and developed to be led by people who had no passion and most importantly, did not have the skills to run a company. And you are more entitled to WintersCorp. You are my father's younger brother. While I'm just an adopted child-"

"Stop there, Elsa." Douglas cut Elsa off. "My brother Nicholas, once told me, even though you were adopted, he and Thiana loved you very much, Elsa. He knew you were a smart, determined, and kind-hearted child. He did not consider you "just" as an adopted child." He paused for a few seconds to convince Elsa. He leaned forward and took Elsa's right hand.

"From the start he prepared you to be able to take over the company someday. But, when you intended to go to law school, he said this to me, 'I know I want her to replace me someday, but when she said she wanted to be a lawyer, somehow I felt proud. She felt very sure of her desire and I believe she will be successful. She is not tempted by the lure of a position as CEO, she wants to pursue his career from scratch.'" Said Douglas, remembering his brother words.

"Yeah, I know that Uncle. That's why dad helped me and Jack get this place for us to make our law firm office. And we were, no, we are very grateful for that. I also really love Dad and Mom, even though they are gone now. And the fact that they still have me in line as the main heir, it was really surprising because I told him from the start I didn't want to take over the company."

"That's because at that time Nicholas still hoped you would change your mind, Elsa. He hasn't had time to change the contents of his will, because that fateful accident had already claimed their lives." Douglas was sitting on the edge of the sofa because he tried to hold Elsa's hands. He looked Elsa straight in the eye. "I know you don't want to join and will never want to join the company, therefore, I am here to see you, not for that."

Elsa's brows furrowed in confusion. "Then why, Uncle?"

Douglas sighed softly and let go of Elsa's hands. He adjusted his seat, put his hands together in front of his round face with his elbows resting on the arms of the couch.

"Elsa, you know I'm getting old right?" Douglas waited for Elsa to nod before finally continuing. "I will retire soon. And my plan is to make Paige as the next CEO of WintersCorp. What do you think?" He lowered his hands and looked at Elsa seriously.

Elsa smiled with relief, now it was her turn to lean towards Douglas and take his hand.

"Uncle, listen to me. WintersCorp, legally, is all yours. Yes, Dad gave it to me, but I have given it to you. You're the rightful owner. You have the right to do anything for the good of WintersCorp, and I believe in your assessment of Paige. If you feel sure she is capable, then I am sure too. And I promise, whenever you need legal assistance for WintersCorp or your family, I'll be more than happy to help." Elsa ended her words with a smile. She squeezed his hand lightly before releasing.

"You are a very good person, Elsa. I hope whatever you do will bring good and happiness to you." Douglas sighed havily and the seriousness on his face was gone. "I think it's time for coffee. Do you want to join me and Jack?"

"Ah, I'm so sorry, Uncle. It would be a lot of fun but I just got here and I haven't touched my work at all. Maybe next time." Elsa smiled apologetically.

Douglas put his hands on his knees and got ready to stand up. "It's alright, Elsa. I will ask jack to bring coffee for you later. And don't work too hard, don't let your face turn stiff like a dry plas chamois." He laughed and stood up, followed by Elsa who also laughed.

"I won't, Uncle. Don't worry."

🍁🍁🍁

"It's past eleven, Detective. Jamie should have arrived at ten, right?"

Finally Elsa got up and paced in the detective morris room. She was impatient waiting for Jamie to arrive. Elsa had told all what she got from the investigation with Jack to Detective Morris yesterday and the police had issued a summons for Jamie. But after an hour, Jamie still didn't come to the police station.

"Yes, according to the summons, Jamie was supposed to be here at ten." Detective Morris said calmly, offsetting Elsa, who was getting restless because she was eager to get information from Jamie.

"Maybe he didn't want to come on purpose-"

"Good morning, Detective." A police officer entered the room. "Just now Frost's family called and informed that Jamie Frost was unable to attend today."

"What?" Elsa looked at the police officer in disbelief, then turned to look at Detective Morris, who was still trying to stay calm.

"Anything else?" Asked Detektive Morris.

"No, Sir."

"Thank you, Officer."

Elsa was irritated that she had taken her time for this, but she would leave empty-handed. But then her irritation turned to suspicion. What happened so that Jamie couldn't come to the police summons? If he was innocent, he shouldn't be afraid to come right?

🍁🍁🍁

"But there's no proof that Manny's son is guilty, right?" Jack asked as he and Elsa were on their way back to the office after Jack picked Elsa up at the police station. Elsa told him about her visit that morning to the police station which ended empty-handed. And she also shared about her suspicion of Jamie's absence to fulfill the police summons.

"Manny wouldn't have hidden his son if he had nothing to do with this case, Jack. I'm absolutely sure about this." Said Elsa very confidently, her eyes filled with conviction that her hunch this time was true.

Jack scoffed. "Did he feel like he was a king? Does he think he can do as he pleases?" He shook his head in disbelief.

"But we still have to get a word from Jamie, Jack. I have to get a statement from him."

"How?" Jack glanced at Elsa while keeping his eyes on the road.

"Easy. Just come over to Manny's house to meet Jamie." Elsa paused. "Jack, will you help me to the Manny's house?" She looked expectantly at Jack.

"Me? You want me to go to Manny's house?"

"Yes. You. Any problem with that?"

Jack looked doubtful. He stared straight at the road in front of him and nibbled his thumb reflexively. Elsa's brows furrowed at the hesitation on Jack's face.

"Jack, we can't be afraid of Manny. We can only fear God, who made Manny."

Jack stared at Elsa with a gaze that Elsa couldn't recognize. As long as she had known Jack, this was the first time he looked at her with such a gaze. Hesitation, fear, and aversion. He then looked back at the road outside.

"Stupid!"

Manny slapped Jack hard on the cheek, but Jack didn't seem to feel the pain from his father's wrath. Although he was holding onto his flushed cheek, his eyes stared fiercely against his father.

"Slap me again, Dad! Slap me! While I'm still here. Tomorrow, I'm gone." Said Jack firmly. He was thinner than his father's, but he was taller, and he didn't even blink when he looked down at his father.

Manny who was getting angry, approached Jack and stuck his index finger on Jack's chest. "So you want to run away from this house?"

Jack scoffed. "I've wanted to run away from this house for a long time."

"You can run away but you can't be sorry." Manny's voice was deep and dangerous. He then shoved Jack's shoulder roughly until he nearly fell to the floor. "Get out! Get out from MY house! GET. OUT!"

Jack quickly got his balance and before turning his back on his father, he took the time to look at him with a gaze full of hatred. When he was about to leave the house, Emelia chased him along with seven-year-old Jamie.

"Jack. Please, don't leave. I don't wanna lose you, Jack." Emelia hugged Jack tightly, she sobbed in her eldest son's arms. She didn't want her son to leave her, but she couldn't leave Manny either. The one thing she was sure of was that even if he left her, he would still be a good boy for her. Deep down, she was secretly proud that Jack had dared to step out of the vicious circle of Manny's business. She was sure that her son was doing the right thing, but no longer being by his side and seeing him every day was one thing.

"I'm sorry, Mom. I have to leave. I can't live like this anymore." Jack murmured into his mother's ear, he then landed a kiss on her forehead and loosened the hug. "I love you."

"Jack, don't leave us." Jamie said through sobs, making Jack smile sadly and turn to him. Jack grabbed his shoulder and stared him straight.

"I have to go. Take care of Mom for me, okay?" And then Jack left the house.

"Jack!"

"Jack!"

"Jack! Jack, watch out!"

The shaking of his shoulder snapped Jack out of his reverie, and his eyes widened when he saw a row of cars stopped in front of him at an intersection waiting for a green light to flash. His foot reflexively slammed on the brake and hoped that the car he was driving could stop in time.

The car stopped at once. Both of his hands gripped the steering wheel firmly to prevent his body from hitting the steering wheel due to sudden braking. A soft moan made him turn to his side and his heart sank to see Elsa clutching her forehead, gritting her teeth in pain.

"Elsa! Are you okay?"


	5. Thoughtfulness

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading, kudos and subcrpition. I would love to hear from you about this story, Happy reading !

"Elsa! Are you okay?"

Jack secured the car, gear, clutch, handbrake and everything before finally leaning over to find out Elsa's condition. She was still gripping her forehead, grimacing in pain, and she started to breathe heavily. She closed her eyes tightly.

"Jack. My head. It's not bleeding, right?" She looked really scared, and Jack realized it because she started hyperventilating. If Jack couldn't calm her down, things could get worse. And this happened because of his carelessness, he was not careful driving the car. He mentally cursed himself for letting the past memories affect him while he was driving the car.

"Hey, hey. Elsa, calm down. You're okay. Give me your hands." Jack grabbed Elsa's hand which was still tightly gripping her forehead in a very careful and gentle way. The moment her hand left her forehead, it trembled violently. He felt panic creeping up inside his heart, but he had to stay calm. For her.

"Open your eyes, Elsa. Look at me, breath with me. Come on."

Jack stroked Elsa's hand trying to calm her down. One hand rubbed her cheek lightly, forcing her to turn her face toward him. When she finally opened her eyes, he could see the held tears finally dripping. Her eyes flushed red.

Jack locked his eyes on Elsa's, fear was clearly visible in her eyes. Jack really understood why this could happen. Being the only survivor and conscious when the accident happened to her and her adoptive family, made her have traumatic memories with car accidents and blood. And that's the reason why Elsa never tried to drive by herself again. He or Kai always drove her wherever she went.

"Breath with me, Elsa. Inhale, exhale. Inhale, exhale." Jack led Elsa to breathe slowly, inhaling air through his nose and expelling it through his mouth. Again, and again, and again. He smiled a little relieved when Elsa finally followed him, although her tears were still flowing irresistibly. And his efforts were not in vain because after a few moment Elsa finally calmed down a little. "There you go-"

HONK!!! HONK!!!

Jack snapped his head toward the sound and he realized that the light had turned green, which meant he had to move on. With a heavy heart he let go of Elsa's hand and got ready to run the car again.

"We must move forward. We'll stop again after crossing the intersection, okay?" Jack smiled reassuringly at Elsa, who was now fully leaning on the passenger seat, closed her eyes again.

"Okay." Came a soft murmur from Elsa. She had calmed down and was breathing normally. She adjusted her seat so that she could lie down more comfortably and then she did her best to wipe the tears on her cheeks.

Jack drove for a while before finally stopping at the parking lot of a fast food restaurant not far from the intersection. He turned off the engine, opened the window slightly for fresh air, and removed the seat belt so he could more freely observe Elsa's condition.

"How's my head?" Elsa asked softly, she turned her head to look at Jack.

"Let me see." Jack studied Elsa's forehead, just above her right eyebrow, which was flushed from hitting the dashboard, there was an impact mark that looked darker in colour than the surroundings. Her forehead wasn't bleeding, but Jack was sure it would be bruised later.

"Your forehead is not bleeding, but looks likely to be bruised. How do you feel? Are you feeling okay?" He took Elsa's hand again and caressed it tenderly.

Elsa sighed softly. She was completely calm and managed to control her breathing. And hearing Jack's words that her head was not bleeding, she now felt really relieved.

"I'm a bit dizzy and it hurts a little but I'm sure it will pass."

"Do you need to go to the hospital?"

Elsa thought for a moment, assessing her own condition, whether or not she needed to go to the hospital. "I don't think so, Jack. I'll be fine."

"You sure?"

"Hm-hm. I'm sure. Some painkillers will do the magic." Elsa flipped her hand and now it's her turn to hold Jack's hand. She squeezed lightly. "Don't worry."

"But you looked so much in pain and scared before. Are you really sure you're okay?" Jack stretched out his other hand which was not held by Elsa and wiped her face from the remaining tears. He still wasn't sure that she would be okay without going to the hospital.

"I'm alright, Jack. For a moment I thought we were going to crash. You didn't respond to my calls and you didn't slow down one bit. I was so scared before. But now, I'm not. We both are fine." Elsa smiled reassuringly.

Jack didn't know what to answer. He felt very guilty about what happened just a moment ago. He just kept staring at elsa and then he brushed a strand of hair that loose from her bun.

"I'm sorry. Just tell me if you feel anything, okay? We'll go to the hospital right away." Said Jack sounding serious. When Elsa nodded, he sighed softly and prepared to start the car again and left the parking lot.

And for Elsa, apart from the dizziness and her throbbing head, she wondered what Jack was thinking that made him lose control. After years of being driven by him, this was the first time he had lost control of the wheel.

She turned her head to stare at him as he grabbed her hand again and caressed it softly when he had reached a steady pace. He only let it go when he used his hand to shift gears.

She was pretty sure something was bothering Jack's mind and it was nothing small or ordinary. Elsa thought it over carefully, she didn't want to be pushy because she didn't like being pushed. She felt that now was not the right time to ask what was on his mind. She was sure he would tell her when he was ready.

"Jack."

"Yes, Elsa? What is it?" Jack quickly responded because he was worried that Elsa was in pain. He squeezed Elsa's hand while his eyes remained on the road in front of him. He did not want to repeat his mistakes, lost control of the wheel.

"About earlier, regarding Manny. Will you help me?" Elsa felt Jack's grip on her hand tighten and as he stared at her, their eyes met for a few seconds. Why does his face look weird every time I ask him to go to Manny's house? What happened?

As for Jack, looking at Elsa's begging eyes then into the bruise above her right eyebrow, plus that it was his fault, his heart broke. He really couldn't say no, even though he should have said no. He didn't want his relationship with Elsa to be damaged because of his family background. He thought for a moment, trying to find the right words. But he couldn't find any.

"Sure. I'll try to go to his house and meet his son." Said Jack with a slightly forced smile. He shifted his gaze to the road so that Elsa didn't see doubt on his face.

"Thank you, Jack."

🍁🍁🍁

"Will you help me to the Manny's house?"

"You can run away but you can't be sorry."

"Will you help me?"

"Get out! Get out from MY house! GET. OUT!

Those words kept echoing in his head like a tough match. The words from his father who had been a decade ago sounded like he had just heard yesterday. Meanwhile, Elsa's pleading voice and the look on her eyes made his heart melt and he really couldn't say no to her. And he never said no to her. Since the first time he landed his gaze on her in his early college years, he was hopelessly addicted to her, helplessly attracted to her. Even though she was oblivious about his feeling, he didn't mind.

The battle in his head continued all the way to the Manny's house. The house he vowed never to set his foot again. He took Elsa straight to her mansion and insisted on asking her to rest because even though she kept reassuring him that she was fine, she still looked unwell. He helped Olina compress her forehead with ice pack to prevent it from becoming swollen, made sure she took the painkiller, and he didn't even leave the mansion before Elsa fell asleep.

He kept thinking until he didn't realize he had arrived in front of that damned house. He stopped right in front of the gate and remained in the car for a few moments. He was still mustering up his determination to get back into the house. He glanced at the end of the gate, which was open just enough for someone to enter.

Should I go inside? What if I meet him?

Jack took a deep breath, pulled out the car keys and got out of it. He walked slowly towards the gate, doubts still weighing his heart. He kept thinking that this was Elsa's wish. This should be enough to make him confidently walk into the house.

But it didn't.

When Jack was about to pass through the gap between the gate and the wall, his steps stopped. He looked ahead and saw that Manny's car was getting ready right in front of the porch. Several bodyguards scattered around the door of the house and the car. And there he was, Manny Frost, just coming out of the house accompanied by his most trusted person, Scar, a well-built, black-skinned man with a scar across his forehead.

Jack saw Manny talking seriously with Scar while occasionally sipping his cigar. And when he realized that Manny was getting ready to enter the car, his guts shrank.

He wasn't ready.

Jack hurriedly turned around, got into the car, started the engine, hit the gas and drove away from there.

🍁🍁🍁

"Really, Jack? You are scared?" Elsa turned her back and walked quickly leaving Jack to the stairs. She had just been woken up and the news that Jack had given her later that night really annoyed her. She couldn't understand why Jack was scared just to come to a house, asking for the time to meet it's owner. As easy as that.

"I don't know, Els." Jack tried to catch up with Elsa.

"You don't know?!" If Elsa was annoyed before, she was angry now. She turned around abruptly and glared at Jack. She realized something was wrong with Jack, but her disappointment that Jack failed to meet Jamie, made her frustrated.

"You know, right? This case is incomplete without a statement from Jamie? You know that exactly, Jack!" She was yelling right now. While Jack tried to stay calm.

"Yes, I know that exactly. But-"

"I'm not sure, you didn't want to enter Manny's house just because you are scared. You were already in front of his house. There must be another reason. What is it, Jack? Hm? What is it?!" There. She said it. Her curiosity about Jack's strange behaviour she finally revealed. She folded her arms, her eyes demanding.

"Elsa, please. Don't do this to me. You're being pushy." Jack said softly. He really didn't know what to answer. He didn't want to say the real reason why he didn't want to do what she asked. Not now.

Elsa dropped her hand, really disappointed with him. She felt he was hiding something from her and he didn't want to tell her. All this time she felt that they had nothing to hide and had always been honest with each other. But guess what, she didn't think so.

She felt lightheaded and her headaches increased. She massaged the bridge of her nose and again, dropped her hand and looked at Jack solemnly.

"Fine. I won't push you again. But tomorrow, I'll go to Manny's by myself." She said firmly. She didn't care about Jack who seemed about to protest and immediately turned her back up to the stairs to her room upstairs.

Elsa slammed the door behind her and locked it. She was angry and disappointed. The person she had always been able to rely on, this time disappointed her. She paced back and forth in her room trying to calm her nerves and tried to think straight. She was determined to get Jamie's statement to make this case work and she wasn't going to let anything, or anyone get in the way

She massaged her temples as her headache became unbearable. She grabbed the bottle of her painkiller, opened it and took its contents. Two at once. She then popped it into her mouth and drank it together with a glass of water.

She threw herself down on the bed and stared at the ceiling, thinking about all the things that had happened to her lately. She closed her eyes and continued thinking until finally she was exhausted by her own emotions and soon enough she fell asleep. She didn't even hear it when Olina knocked on her door telling her that dinner was ready.

The next morning, Elsa woke up before her alarm went off. Perhaps because she had slept enough the previous day that she had no trouble getting up. She tried to sit up slowly, feeling fresher and so much better. Her faint headache was still there but compared to last night, now she felt much better. She stared at the window, not remembering to close the curtains last night.

And then she remembered her argument with Jack. This time, after she could think more clearly, she regretted why she had to argue with Jack. She realized that she was too demanding on Jack for something she could do on her own. If Jack had a reason and he didn't want to say it, then why? Everyone had secrets. She took a deep breath and then slipped out of bed, getting ready to take a shower.

🍁🍁🍁

So, that prostitute's stuff upstairs, I'll sell it. Because she hasn't paid the rent for the flat in three months.

She hasn't paid the rent for the flat in three months.

She hasn't paid the rent for the flat in three months.

"Miss Elsa, tea or coffee?"

Olina's voice interrupted her reverie. When she prepared with her notebook and her belongings before going down to breakfast, she found the photo of Iduna and her baby which she put in her notebook from Iduna's flat a few days ago. Her mind drifted back to Iduna, the woman she had only known for a few days but she felt like she had known her for years.

"Just water, Olina. I still have to take the painkiller, so water will be enough. Thank you." Said Elsa. She saved Iduna's photo back to the notebook and put it aside.

Olina's brows furrowed in worry. "Miss Elsa, is your headache getting worse? You should have gone to the hospital yesterday. You even missed dinner last night."

"No, I'm fine. I'm a lot better. It's just that I have to feel comfortable while working, so I still have to take it. Just in case." Elsa smiled at her. She was very grateful to have Olina as her maid, her loyalty to the Winters Family was unquestionable, even after the original Winters Family was gone, she remained loyal to serve Elsa.

Olina smiled at Elsa understandingly and then left Elsa with her breakfast. Elsa rushed over to her breakfast because she couldn't wait to start the day. She had some plans in mind and she wanted to get started right away.

Elsa arrived at her office on time. She felt a little awkward thinking about what she would say when she met Jack. She knew her attitude was a little too much and she regretted it. She hated fighting with Jack.

And she was just entering the lobby when she saw Jack coming out from the hallway. He looked very handsome in a navy blue suit with a matching tie. Blue really suits him, she thought. She stopped dead in her track when she saw him coming over to her. He smiled faintly at her. She didn't know what to do or say until finally he was right in front of her.

"Good morning." Jack greeted first.

"Good morning, Jack." Elsa replied, her voice cracked a little. She cleared her throat and tried not to be awkward.

"How are you? Are you feeling any better?"

"I'm fine. I'm much better. Thank you."

Both of them were silent, staring at each other for a while until things turned stiff. Neither of them liked this kind of situation. Everything felt weird if they didn't talk to each other.

"I'm sorry."

"I'm sorry."

They said simultaneously. Their eyes widen, both of them were surprised because they didn't expect it. However, it was Elsa who finally opened her mouth again for the first time.

"Look, Jack. I'm sorry I yelled at you last night. I wasn't supposed to do that to you. I can't force you to do something I can do on my own. What I did to you was bad. I am sorry." Said Elsa sincerely.

Hearing this, Jack smiled and then chuckled. He then put both hands in his trouser pockets. He didn't want to tell the reason why he couldn't go to the Manny's house at this time so he would let the talk on this matter end here. He didn't want Elsa to be suspicious.

"It's okay, Elsa. It was kind of weird to be yelled by you, but yeah, I already forgave you." Said Jack, smiling sweetly. He took a step forward and spread his arm. "So, now that we are good, can I give you a hug?"

Elsa squinted her eyes at Jack for a moment. A wicked smile formed on her lips and she set her face as innocent as possible.

"No. Your hug will ruin my dress. So, thank you, Jack. I don't think so." She shook her head and tried not to laugh, though she was sure her face would look weird this time. But Jack found it adorable.

Realized Elsa was just kidding, Jack followed suit. "Owh, come on, Elsa. You always love my warm hug. It's a chilly morning. Don't you want to get warm a little bit?"

"No. My dress is more important."

"Even just for a tiny little bit? This much?" Jack gestured with his hand as if he were pinching the air with his thumb and index finger right in front of his narrowed eye.

"No."

Jack scratched his forehead trying to think of a reply to Elsa's words. He then walked around and stopped right next to her, he leaned closer and gave her the best smile he only dedicated to her.

"A side hug, then?" He said, wiggling his brows.

This time Elsa couldn't help laughing, she covered her mouth with her hand and looked at Jack amused. "Well, that can be persuaded."

"Right." Jack immediately put his arm around Elsa's back, gave a soft squeeze on her upper arm and pulled her closer. "Come on. I'll walk you to your room."

"Okay." Said Elsa nodding. And they both walked together to her room.

"How's your head?"

"Much better. If it weren't for this impact mark, I wouldn't remember giving the dashboard an affectionate kiss yesterday."

"Ha ha. Very funny, Elsa. Did you take your painkiller?"

"I did."

"Breakfast?"

"I did."

"Good. What do you want for lunch today?"

"Pizza."

"Pizza? For lunch?"

"Yes. Something wrong with that?"

"No. Just odd."

"I want pizza for lunch because tonight, I want a fancy dinner from you for the peace offering and also because you gave me a temporary tattoo on my forehead."

"Busted."

🍁🍁🍁

Elsa tapped the surface of the table with her fingers, patiently waiting. Currently she was at the visiting place to meet Iduna. She wanted to meet Iduna this time not for interrogation, she just wanted to do something for her.

The clink of metal clashing made Elsa automatically stop her hands and turn her head towards the connecting door. She then stood up and saw Iduna walking over with a police officer following from behind. Her brows furrowed in wonder when she saw the change of emotion on Iduna's face from initially happy, turned to shock and worry. Her steps also quickened the closer she got to her.

"Oh My God. What happened to your head? Are you okay?" Iduna was just about to touch Elsa's bruised forehead when she hurriedly pulled her hand back. She looked at Elsa asking for explanation. A genuine concern was clear in her eyes, not made up or pretended.

Elsa's heart warmed to know that someone cared about her well being. She had just known Ms. Singleir for a short time, but getting this kind of little attention from her made her heart swell with a sense of comfort.

"Oh, it's fine. My head hit the dashboard yesterday. But it's okay. I am fine now." Said Elsa smiling. But it seemed that it hadn't been able to reduce Iduna's worries. A worried look still lingered in her eyes.

"Your head hit the dashboard? How could that happen? You always sit in the back seat."

Elsa frowned in confusion. How does Ms. Singleir know that she's always sitting in the back seat?

"How do you know that I always sit in the back seat?"

Iduna's eyes widened knowing she was talking too much, she took a step back and regained control of her emotions.

"I'm sorry. I didn't know. I just assumed that you always sit in the back seat. Because someone like you must have a driver to take you everywhere."

Elsa smiled and nodded in understanding. "Yes, I always sit in the backseat and I have Kai to take me everywhere. But yesterday, it was Jack who drove me and whenever I'm with Jack, I sit in the passenger seat. Yesterday he lost a little control over the wheel, and this is what happened." She pointed at her forehead and let out a little laugh like the bruised on her forehead was nothing.

"Jack? The tall boy with silvery white hair?"

"Yes. That Jack. But he is not a boy anymore. He's twenty-five. Like me." Elsa chuckled. She didn't know why she felt comfortable talking about personal matters with someone she had only known for a few days. It's just that, up to this point, she couldn't find any reason to think that Ms. Singleir was a bad person.

"Alright, then. Are you with him now?" Iduna was a little relieved to hear the explanation from Elsa. And seeing that Elsa seemed really fine, her worry lessened. Even if only a little. She would worry about her daughter as long as she was breathing. It was her job.

"No. We parted ways earlier after lunch, he has a court hearing to attend."

Iduna nodded, she took another step back. "Just tell him to be careful next time." She then sat on the chair.

"I will, Ms. Singleir. Thank you for your concern." Elsa then sat across from Iduna. She folded his hands on the table and looked at the woman before her. Why does she seem so worried about my well-being? I'm nobody to her. I'm just her lawyer.

"Miss Winters, will there be an interrogation today?"

Iduna's question made Elsa focus again. She cleared her throat and straightened her back. "Oh, no. I'm here not for an interrogation. I'm here to see you."

Iduna couldn't hide her surprise. Elsa came to meet her, not for the sake of the case that was happening to her. She didn't know whether to be happy or anxious about the reason behind Elsa's need to meet her.

"You are here to see me?"

"Yes." Elsa stretched out her hand and grabbed Iduna's hand which was folded on the table as well. She squeezed it lightly. "I'm here to see you. I want to give you something." She let go of Iduna's hand and grabbed her bag which she put on the chair beside her. She took out a brown envelope, put it on the table, and then pushed it towards Iduna.

"What's this?" Iduna stared at the brown envelope in front of her then stared back at Elsa. She didn't dare to touch the envelope yet.

"Ms. Singleir, I don't want to be presumptuous or anything but, it's just that I really want to help you. This is money. Not much, but I hope it will help. I know you need it." Said Elsa carefully. She didn't want to offend Iduna's feeling.

"Money?" Iduna's expression changed instantly. A mixture of feelings that Elsa couldn't understand. Iduna pulled her hands and hid it under the table. "I'm sorry. I can't accept it."

Elsa was disappointed but tried to understand why Iduna didn't want to accept the money she gave her, but she had absolutely no other intention than to help.

"Ms. Singleir, please. I know you need it. I have no other intention than to help. Please, accept this. I will be very happy if you accept it. Take this as a gift from me, from Elsa, not from your lawyer. Please?" Elsa didn't care how many time she said 'please'. All she cared about was Iduna willing to accept her gift because she knew Iduna needed it.

Iduna's face softened, this was another chance to make her daughter happy. In her heart she felt ashamed if she accepted the money, but she felt that she had been ashamed for too long. She was tired, in the end she would give up.

Iduna sighed softly, she looked at her hands on her lap. She then looked at Elsa's pleading eyes which looked very sincere. There was no mocking or condescending element of giving her money. Slowly, she stretched out her hand and touched the surface of the brown envelope.

"Okay. I will accept this. But one thing you should know. You don't have to do this to me. You've been too good to me and I don't know how to repay you." Said Iduna, looking down at her lap. And then she looked up when she felt Elsa's hand back on top of hers.

"You don't have to repay me with anything, Ms. Singleir. Just by accepting my gift is more than enough, and I'm already very happy with it-"

"Visiting time is up." The police officer behind Iduna cut Elsa off. He took one step forward preparing to guide Iduna back to her cell.

Elsa looked up trying to smile. She felt that the time was running too fast. But rules were rules. She could come to visit next time.

"Alright. Thank you, Officer." Elsa grabbed her bag and stood up. Elsa felt relieved when Iduna took the brown envelope and held it with both hands, then stood up as well.

"Thank you very much, Miss Winters. I really appreciate it." Said Iduna, smiling.

"No. I, thank you." Elsa smiled as well. She remained standing there watching Iduna being led back to the connecting door. "Take care, Ms. Singleir."

Iduna who had turned around, turned her head back and said, "Don't forget to tell that Jack to be careful driving next time."


	6. Confrontation and Threat

"Don't forget to tell that Jack to be careful driving next time."

Elsa's eyes widened in surprise. She was surprised because Iduna reminded her how important it is to stay safe when riding with Jack. She didn't expect Iduna to care that much.

Iduna gave her last smile before being led back to her cell. Elsa, meanwhile, didn't have time to react or say anything. She just stood there, saw Iduna's back disappear behind the connecting door. The sound of the door locking brought her back to her feet and she finally let out a deep breath. A smile slowly appeared on her lips, her enthusiasm pumped and she was very much ready to carry out her next plan. Met with Manny Frost.

She walked out of the police station with a big smile on her face.

🍁🍁🍁

Elsa stared at the figure opposite her with a deathly cold glare. Manny frost, a man in his fifties with white hair neatly combed back, in an expensive and neat suit. His left hand holding a cigar and his right hand writing something on a cheque. He kept glancing at Elsa as he wrote.

Manny placed the cigar in his mouth and took a single sip before using his left hand to help his right hand to tear the cheque paper. He placed it on the table and pushed it closer towards Elsa.

"Five hundred thousand dollars. This is just an advance. If you're willing to drop this case, I'll give you more. Double, triple, you name it." He said calmly. He sipped the cigar again and deliberately let out the smoke towards Elsa's face. His eyes squinted evilly.

Even so, Elsa was not provoked. She kept her cold glare and didn't have the slightest fear of the man before her. She then stood up, took the cheque paper, and slowly tore it to the smallest of pieces before finally throwing it right into Manny's face. She mentally smiled at the change of Manny's emotions. It was clearly visible on his face. Yes, I'm not afraid of you. Bring it on.

"No matter how much you bribe me, Sir, I will not let go of this case." Elsa said firmly. Determination was evident in her eyes. She didn't even blink when she made eye contact with Manny. "What I'm looking for is not money. But the truth." She added.

If at that time Manny was surprised and amazed by the guts of a woman who was not even half his age, he would not show it. All this time he was accustomed to solving all his problems with money. Bribing was a common thing for him. Dirty police, prosecutors, judges and even officials hadn't escaped this dirty method. As long as he could get what he wanted and could get rid of the problems that befall him, money was not a problem. At all.

Manny stared at Elsa for a few moments as he took a sip of his cigar before letting out an evil laugh. Smoke gushed out of his mouth as he laughed.

"The truth?" He scoffed. "The truth, the truth, the truth." He stood up as well and leaned toward Elsa. "Do you think there is any truth left in this world?" He pointed at Elsa's chest with his cigar. "Is there anything left?!"

Elsa hadn't had time to answer because from the outside Manny's study, there was a whistle. And soon enough there was Jamie look relaxed with one hand holding the strap of his backpack and the other hand in the pocket of his jeans. He walked and whistled peacefully. Elsa straightened her back and glanced at him. Likewise with Manny.

Jamie stopped whistling at once when he realized who was with his father. His demeanor turned nervous and seeing his father glowering at him as if to say 'get away from there', he accelerated his pace and avoided Elsa's cold glare.

"Once again I affirm, I will not let go of my son Jamie." Manny said more calmly, though his voice still sounded deep and dangerous.

Elsa smiled at this. She leaned forward and put both hands on the table. "You act like Jamie indeed killed that prostitute. I am more and more convinced that I have to get a word from your lovely son, Sir."

Manny's face turned hard. He had not previously thought the lawyer he was dealing with would so irritate him. This woman has the guts, he thought.

"Whatever. WHAT. EVER! Now, you better get out of this room. Or, I will order my men to throw you out of this house!" He began to lose his temper. He literally made his voice echo throughout the room.

Elsa didn't want to lose either. She leaned even more and adjusted her face as firmly as possible. "Remember. Sir. I will not leave this case." She put pressure in every word she spoke.

"We will see about that later." Manny said squinting his eyes. "Now, go." He pointed at the door but kept his eyes on Elsa.

And with that, Elsa grabbed her bag and walked straight out of the room.

🍁🍁🍁

"The lamb was perfectly cooked. And that baba-what? I can't spell it."

Jack smiled fondly at Elsa's cuteness. "Baba ghanoush, Elsa. How many times do I have to spell it out for you?" He chuckled and slightly ruffled Elsa's hair. This time she untied her hair and let it down so it looked so beautiful and wavy.

The two of them had just had a fancy dinner at a restaurant of Jack's choice. Elsa had never eaten there before. They were walking towards the parking lot when Elsa reviewed the food they had eaten earlier.

"It's not my fault. Why did they give it a name that's hard to spell?" Elsa pouted and her hands moved to straighten her hair.

Jack chuckled. "Elsa Winters, the best graduate of law school with the highest GPA, has trouble spelling 'baba ghanoush'. Unbelievable." He laughed now.

"Stop it, Jack. That's not important." Elsa looked away and crossed her arms over her chest.

"Oh, and that pistachio and strawberry eclair!" She looked back at Jack and took his arm, tugging at him with enthusiasm. "Oh My Godness. The best dessert ever. That was so yummy. All this time I only know eclairs with chocolate on top. But it's so different and I can eat it for the next thirty-four years, every day, straight. It was a cracking dish."

"Really?" Jack smiled seeing Elsa already clinging to his arm. It felt very comfortable and nice.

"Hm-hm."

"Okay. I'll take you to this restaurant for the next thirty-four years, every day, straight."

Elsa laughed at Jack's joke but then she frowned and stopped her feet from walking. "Jack, where's your car?"

Jack, who had also stopped walking, took the car keys in his pocket and pressed one of the buttons. And not far away, about five more cars, he could see the lights of his car flickering.

"Over there. Come on. It's already late. You need to rest." Jack put his palm over Elsa's hand which was still clinging on his arm and walked again. Elsa just nodded and followed Jack's steps.

When he reached his car, Jack felt something was wrong with the car. He felt the car tilt a little. He let go of Elsa's hand gently and squatted on the right front wheel and grumbled at what was happening.

"What are you doing?" Elsa frowned and bent herself slightly on top of Jack.

"Flat tire. And it looks like someone did it on purpose. There are knife marks here." Jack pointed the marks on the tire. "It seemed like some prankster didn't know what else to do. So he tore off one of the tires of someone else's car and walked away from it. Hufft." Jack rubbed his face and was still observing the damage of his tires.

Elsa straightened her back and looked around hoping to find someone suspicious. But her eyes fell on something tucked into the windshield. She tried to reach it which turned out to be a piece of paper. She read the writing on the paper. And her brows furrowed deeply when she finished reading them. For a moment she was silent and her brain worked hard.

"What's that?" Asked Jack when he got up again. He stretched out his hand and asked for the paper, he was curious because Elsa seemed to be thinking something very seriously. Elsa handed it over without saying anything.

"If you want to be safe, you better leave the prostitute murder case." Jack read the piece of paper slowly. He looked at Elsa who still seemed to be thinking about various possibilities.

"Manny Frost. It was him." Said Elsa feeling so sure. She was reminded of her confrontation with Manny Frost this afternoon and was sure that this threat was coming from him.

"How-" Jack's words were interrupted when suddenly Elsa's cell phone rang.

"Hello?" Elsa immediately picked up the phone even though it was an unknown number. She felt this call was important.

"Have you received that piece of paper?" Came a deep, unfamiliar voice.

"Who is this?"

"You don't need to know who I am. What is more important is that you do what that piece of paper tells you to do. Understand?" Tut-tut-tut.

"Hello? Hello?!" Elsa removed her cell phone from her ear and stared at the screen, the connection was cut.

"Who was that?" Jack asked, worried about Elsa who now looked very tense. He was sure that Elsa wouldn't be afraid of this threat, she was used to this kind of thing, but she looked very curious and nervous at the same time.

"I don't know." Elsa couldn't help thinking, the day went very well and ended with a satisfying dinner until she received the threat. She wasn't afraid, she was just curious. And she was sure that this threat came from Manny Frost. There were cases other than the prostitute murder case she was working on but the threat came right after she confronted Manny Frost this afternoon.

Jack side hugged Elsa closer to his body and his eyes looked around the parking lot. He knew very well, if Elsa was right, if this threat came from his father, then this threat was no joke.

"Come on, let's get a taxi. I'll call the tow truck to take care of my car. I will take you home."

🍁🍁🍁

Elsa couldn't sleep. She was still thinking about the threat. If Manny thought that the threat would get her out of the case, he was very wrong. The threat only fueled her spirits even more because she became more convinced that what she was doing was the right thing. She only needed testimony from witnesses and evidence that it was not Iduna who killed the prostitute. Jamie did.

She paced back and forth in her room wondering what step she would take next. She couldn't just let this thing affect her. She had to counter this threat with something that would make Manny realize who he was dealing with. She will not back down just because of the lure of money and threats.

She then sat on the bed and reached for her cell phone. She scrolled down the list of contacts on her cellphone and her lips twisted into a smile when the sight of a name she knew so well would overwhelm Manny. If Manny sold her something, she would gladly buy it.

She dialed the number and needed only one dial tone until someone picked it up.

"Hello, Miss Winters. Is there something good for the front page this time?"

"Karl. Always to the point. Is that how journalists always work?"

"It's one o'clock at night, Miss Winters. You won't call me if you don't have anything nice. Is there another criminal you want to piss off?"

"You're right, Karl. I have great news for you. But you gotta promise me to pick this up on the daily tomorrow morning, okay? It's about Manny Frost."

"I'm all ears, Miss Winters."

🍁🍁🍁

"That bitch!" Manny slammed the newspaper on his desk. He was furious with the headlines in the newspapers that morning. His attempt to threaten that insane lawyer was to no avail. He even threw his cigar on the floor and stomped it in his shiny black shoes.

"You saintly lawyer!" He added, punching the surface of the newspaper right at the headline of a story that read 'Manny Frost's son was involved in a prostitute murder case'.

"Calm down, Sir." A man who looked calmer sitting on the couch with his legs crossed. Jo Bernard, the Frost family lawyer. "I had guessed that threatening that lawyer wasn't a very good idea. We have to play nice. When yesterday she refused your bribe, I am sure, she will be hard to threaten."

Manny glanced at Bernard and considered his words. he then grabbed a new cigar and lit it. "What do you suggest?"

"She asked for fish, we give her fish." Said Bernard calmly.

Manny frowned. If Bernard wanted him to hand Jamie over to the lawyer, he already hated the idea. "I already told you, I won't let go of Jamie."

"It's not let go, Sir. That lawyer wanted a statement from Jamie. We will give it. With preparation." Said Bernard, smiling wickedly. "I'll talk to Jamie. I will prepare him to meet that lawyer." He added, getting up. Then he nodded his head slightly as a sign of farewell.

Manny stared at Bernard's distant back and let out a heavy breath. "Scar!"

"Yes, Sir." Came an answer from Scar who had been in the room but was still waiting for orders.

"Investigate that lawyer. Find out her background and who her families are. Remember, do it clean."

🍁🍁🍁

Jack pushed open Elsa's door with more force than usual. He wasn't happy about this morning's headlines. He who had seen Elsa just came and went straight into her room, feeling the need to ask for an explanation from her.

"What's this?" Asked Jack curtly, placing the newspaper on Elsa's desk. His face was filled with emotion. He himself didn't even know whether to be angry or worried about the step Elsa had taken.

Jack saw Elsa grab the newspaper, read it briefly and put it back down. She shrugged and then leaned back completely into her leather armchair. "Karl is just doing his job. And he did it very well."

But Jack was not satisfied with Elsa's answer. "You can't attack Manny that frontal, Elsa. It could be dangerous, you know that?"

Elsa frowned and straightened her back. "Dangerous? Jack, I've always been in danger. My job makes it like that-"

"Elsa. Manny is a beast. He can attack anyone without excep-"

"I'm not afraid, Jack." Elsa cut Jack off. "You know me. You know how I work. Know how I handle cases. I will be fine. As ever." She tried to reason with Jack.

"I know perfectly well who Manny is. I know very well what Manny's dirty businesses are. I just don't want you to fall into his trap."

"Jack! If you know a lot and know Manny very well, why don't you ever give me information?" Elsa was getting annoyed and she's standing up now, crossing her arms over her chest. She'd watched Jack's behaviour whenever she'd mentioned that one name lately. This wasn't the first time they had come across that name. But elsa felt something was not right this time. She sighed softly and lowered her arms. "What's the matter, Jack?"

Elsa's question made him realize what he had said. He's been talking too much. Worried about Elsa's safety, made him knock down an inch of his defensive wall that morning. His expression softened. "No. Nothing's matter." He shook his head and lowered his gaze.

Elsa stared at Jack for a moment. Her curiosity returned because this wasn't the first time Jack had acted weird. Her reverie was interrupted by the ringing of his office phone. With her eyes still glued at Jack, she picked up the phone.

"Hello?" Elsa began. "Yes. That's really good, Detective. Okay. I'll be there. Two o'clock this afternoon. Okay, thank you so much. Bye." She put down the phone and beamed at Jack. Completely forgot about their previous argument.

"Who was that? Was that Detective Morris?" Jack took a step froward and thought he'd better let the argument go.

"Yes. He said that Frost's family just called and informed Jamie would be present at the police station along with his lawyer. He will be interrogated on his capacity as a witness. And I can see Jamie for my session at two o'clock this afternoon."

🍁🍁🍁

"So, Mr. Frost. How was your relationship with Ariel?" Elsa asked calmly. Her back leaned against the sofa, and her fingers played with the pen.

"I didn't kill Ariel." Jamie said firmly. Next to him sat his lawyer Thomas Briggs, Jo Bernard's man.

Jamie's answer made Elsa chuckle, while his lawyer sighed softly. His lawyer was starting to worry that Jamie was giving unnecessary information, although he could understand that after hours of interrogation by police officers and Detective Morris, Jamie could be exhausted.

"That was not my question." Said Elsa leaning forward. She was getting interested. "My question is, how was your relationship with Ariel?"

"Sorry, Miss Winters. You can't enforce my client like that." Briggs tried to keep Jamie from saying something that was detrimental to his position.

Elsa's eyes moved to stare at Briggs. "Didn't you hear it yourself? Did my question sound enforcing?" She squinted her eyes trying to make her point. "I think my question was quite proper." She smiled sweetly and stared back at Jamie. "So, Mr. Frost?"

"Okay, okay. I was quite close to Ariel." Said Jamie finally. His lawyer sighed heavily and shook his head a little.

"Quite close? Close like what? With you giving Ariel lots of money, fancy clothes, expensive shoes and fancy jewelry? Close like that or what?" Said Elsa slowly. She really enjoyed the change in Jamie's face, which was getting nervous.

"Miss Winters-"

"Mr. Briggs." Elsa cut Briggs off. "None of my questions were exaggerated. So, please." She gave Briggs five seconds of intense cold gaze before returning to Jamie again. "Were you close enough to Ariel? According to information, you were the last person she was with before she was found murdered. The time span between when you picked Ariel up and when she was found murdered was roughly an hour. Can you explain, where did you go?"

Jamie couldn't answer it. The look on his face said everything. And then with a frightened face he turned his gaze to anywhere but Elsa. His lawyer was well aware of this kind of gesture and he had to immediately take steps to stop this interrogation.

"I'm sorry, Miss Winters. My client is a little unwell today. We will continue another time. Come on, Mr. Frost." He stood up and so did Jamie. They both didn't wait for Elsa's reply and left the interrogation room.

Elsa smiled and leaned back. She was increasingly convinced that Jamie had something to do with this case. She will gather other witnesses and evidence to prove her hunch.

🍁🍁🍁

Tonight was a full moon night. Iduna could see it through the small prison window and its light fell right on her face. Inside her cell was so lonely with the distant sound of snoring from other prisoners among her own heartbeats.

Her hand caressed slowly the brown envelope her daughter gave her. She had not opened and counted the money inside because she felt that the envelope was too precious to be torn.

Too beautiful to be forgotten, too sad to be remembered  
After I walked far away and I left you behind  
And when you come back, what answer will I give to you?  
Is there a path you can find for us to come back again?  
Shine. Shine like the full moon  
As beautiful and sincere as its love  
Shine on till later

"Oh, my daughter, Elsa." She hugged her knees with the brown envelope in it, sobbing. Her throat was painfully choked as she tried to hold back her sob from escaping.

🍁🍁🍁

Elsa's mind wandered away when she stared at Iduna's photo on her notebook. She was still in her room in the office and it was already ten o'clock in the evening.

Lately she felt something strange. Something out of ordinary. This was the first time in her life she experienced this kind of thing. She was so carried away, she didn't even notice Jack standing in the doorway leaning against the door frame.

"Els, Kai is waiting for you." Said Jack, finally felt the need to make a sound as a sign of his existence.

Elsa snapped her head towards the sound. Her surprised face softened when she realized it was Jack and was now walking towards her. He then sat down on the table facing her and watched her closely. She looked exhausted and her focus had diminished considerably. No wonder, it was too late to be still in the office.

"You okay? You're not sick, are you?" Jack stood up and moved to the back of Elsa's chair, giving her some gentle massage on her shoulders.

"I'm fine, Jack. It's just that-I just feel something. I don't know what it is. I feel something and I don't think it's normal." Elsa moved her hand trying to explain the meaning of her words. She was confused about how she felt, let alone explain it.

Jack's brows furrowed at Elsa's words. The woman he knew always thought of everything systematically and logically, this time the opposite. Just then he let go of Elsa's shoulders and sat back on the table. He looked at Elsa, asking her to continue.

"I have never felt a longing for someone like this before." Elsa shook her head slowly, her gaze dreamy.

Jack's brows furrowed even more hearing that. "Who?"

"Ms. Singleir." Answered Elsa without hesitation. "In fact, Jack. This isn't the first time I've handled this kind of case. But, I don't know, Jack. I don't know how I feel. The first time I met her, after that, every time I met her, it felt like I wanted to continue seeing her."

Jack smiled and took Elsa's hand. "That's a sign, Ms. Singleir is happy to be defended by you." He smiled reassuringly making Elsa finally smiled.

"Really, Jack?"

"Yes. Really." A paused. "Now, you better go home. It's already late and you need to rest. Kai is waiting for you."

"Right." Elsa nodded her head. "Don't you come home too?" She tidied up her notebook containing Iduna's photo and got ready with her other belongings.

"I still have something to do. A little bit more." Jack stood up as Elsa did the same. "Hey, Elsa."

"Yes?" Elsa was ready with her bag in hand and was just about to walk away when Jack called her back.

"Don't you want to kiss me first?" Jack pointed at his cheek and wiggled his eyebrows.

Elsa giggled and tapped Jack on the shoulder. "Good night, Jack. See you in the morning."

And Elsa left Jack who was still staring at her back with affection. Maybe for Elsa, his request was just a joke. But not for Jack.


	7. Feelings

"I have a good news."

Elsa beamed at Iduna that afternoon. She had asked to meet Iduna for an interrogation session. Now with the new additional information, she was almost one hundred percent sure that Iduna was innocent, she only needed evidence and other witnesses to strengthen her conviction.

Today, her interrogation would focus on Iduna's personal information. She needed it so she could understand more deeply about who Iduna as a whole. Later on, she would use this information to convince jurors and the judge at the court that her client did not have the ability to take someone's life.

"Really? What news?" There was a slight sense of excitement inside Iduna's heart at Elsa's words.

"Yesterday, I managed to get some information from Jamie Frost. Well, he didn't say much. But at least from his body language, I'm sure he has something to do with this case." Elsa explained excitedly. This information brought a smile to Iduna's lips, although a moment later, her brows furrowed in confusion.

"I'm sorry. But, who is Jamie Frost?" Asked Iduna.

"Oh yeah, I didn't tell you yet. Jamie Frost was the last person Ariel met before she was found murdered. Indeed, on the knife used to stab Ariel, there were no other fingerprints than yours. Because you pulled it from her stomach at that time, right? And the knife was the only evidence found. But I will seek other information and other evidence." Elsa said again explaining.

In the meantime, there was not one thing, either the testimony of the witnesses around the crime scene that she had met which confirmed that Iduna was innocent or Jamie was the one who was actually guilty. And Elsa was sure that Iduna was not guilty based on her instincts alone. But Elsa was determined that she would do whatever it took to prove her instincts right.

"Oh. Okay." Iduna smiled. She let her hands rest on the table. "So, Miss Winters. What do you want to know this time?"

Elsa stared at the woman in front of her for a few moments, her hands rested on the notebook on the table. She tilted her head slightly and finally smiled.

"You can call me Elsa, Ms. Singleir." Said Elsa with a smile still on her face.

Iduna was stunned for a moment. If she was in a different circumstance, she would be happy to call her own daughter by her first name. The name given by her. But it wasn't like that. Elsa was her lawyer. Although she wanted so badly to grant Elsa's request, she couldn't. For now. But, she also didn't have the heart to say no.

"What about Miss Elsa?" She said instead.

Elsa chuckled at that and then nodded her head. "Alright."

"And you also can call my first name, Miss Elsa."

"Really? You don't mind?" Elsa couldn't hide her surprise. The woman who had initially avoided her, slowly began to open up.

Iduna smiled and shook her head. "No. Not at all."

Elsa let out a long sigh. "Okay. Now, let's get started. I want to know more about you, Ms. Iduna. I hope you don't mind to tell me a little about your personal information. It might be useful at the court later." She started to open her notebook while she was talking and suddenly, by accident, the photo of Iduna which she took from her flat slipped out. And that incident made Iduna frown in curiosity.

"Is that my photograph?" Iduna pointed at the photo and leaned over to get a better view.

Elsa, on the other hand, felt a little embarrassed because she was caught red-handed taking things that did not belong to her without permission from its owner. She took the photo and handed it to Iduna. Her face really showed that she deeply regretted what she had done.

"I'm so sorry, Ms. Iduna. I didn't mean to be presumptuous. At that night, I went to the crime scene to seek information and talk to witnesses. And after that, I had time to go to where you live and I found the photo." Elsa pointed the photo in Iduna's hands and she lowered her head.

"At first, I intended to give it to you because I felt that the photo was very valuable to you. But, I keep procrastinating because," Elsa stopped talking because for a moment, her tongue felt stiff and her throat caught. She took a deep breath and tried to find her voice again. "Because for some reason, I felt, I feel very happy when I see that photo. I love the way you hold your child. It gives me comfort and serenity." She said with a sad smile while still looking at the photo.

Iduna caressed the surface of the photo and smiled sadly. Her mind was divided, before this, for twenty-five years, when she looked at this photo she would feel very sad because she had to be separated with his daughter even though she meant it for her daughter's goodness. However, when she now knew, her daughter found comfort and serenity just by staring at this photo, she felt she had to do something.

"You can have this photo." Iduna said, handing the photo back to Elsa. This action made Elsa look up instantly. Elsa did not think she would do that. Elsa actually thought that maybe she would be angry because Elsa took her items without permission.

"You're not angry with me?" She asked instead.

Iduna smiled dan shook her head. "No. I'm not. And I want you to have this photo."

Elsa smiled in gratitude and nodded her head. She looked at the photo again and the questions that appeared every time she looked at the photo came flooding back to her mind and now that she was in front of Iduna, she couldn't help but be curious.

"Your child. A daughter or a son?" Elsa looked up furrowing her eyebrows. Made Iduna's eyes slightly widened because she was not ready for her question.

"A-a daughter." Iduna stammered a little. "She is my daughter." She also looked up but she was unable to look at Elsa in the eyes.

"Where is she now?" The question just came out. Elsa had even forgotten the list of questions she had prepared before she came to meet Iduna.

Iduna swallowed hard, is she ready to have this conversation with Elsa? Is she ready to share a little of her past without letting Elsa know who she really is? She stared at her lap, her fingers moving restlessly while she thought about the answer.

"She... I-i don't know where she is now. I once entrusted her to a relative. And they live far from here. I never saw her again." Iduna looked up and met with the frowning Elsa.

"Why didn't you take care of your own daughter?" Asked Elsa. The frown never left her face, she was really curious.

That question. That question always haunted her every day. Why didn't I take care of my own daughter? "I... I didn't, I-i don't want my daughter to know that her mother is a despicable and dirty woman. I am ashamed of myself." She was no longer able to look at Elsa and now she found that her lap much easier to look at. And because of that, she didn't see Elsa who shook her head slowly as a sign she did not agree with the answer.

Elsa sighed softly and placed the photo on the table. She then stood up and walked around the table to be able to sit on the bench next to Iduna. She did not know why she did this. She just wanted to have a more comfortable and closer conversation so she felt the need to be near Iduna. Iduna was aware of this. She was a little surprised but tried to keep herself together and shifted slightly to keep her distance from Elsa.

"Why should you be ashamed? Do you not feel sorry for your own daughter, if she doesn't know who her own mother is?" Elsa asked slowly, she tilted her body so that she could see Iduna clearly even though they both sat side by side.

Hearing this, Iduna's back straightened. She did not expect to get such a question from Elsa. Do I not feel sorry for my own daughter? She couldn't answer this. Elsa noticed this and felt herself going a little too far.

"Sorry, Ms. Iduna. I didn't mean to corner you. But sad to be true, I also don't know who my own mother and father are." Elsa didn't know that the next words she would say would shock Iduna half to death. "I was dumped in an orphanage."

Iduna let out a silent gasp and her eyes widened.

No, no, no. That's not it, my dear. I didn't mean to dump you. I just wanted you to have a better life. Not like me.

But she couldn't say it out loud. Her eyes filled with tears at Elsa's words. Her chest tightened and her breath hitched as she tried to hold back sobs. Her own daughter thought she had dumped her in an orphanage.

Elsa's eyes were now also filled with tears because she remembered her time back in the orphanage. She seemed to be lost in thought before she finally opened her mouth again.

"I am disappointed. I'm hurting too, Ms. Iduna." Her tears started rolling down her cheeks and she began to sob. "Because my mother, my own mother, she had the heart to throw me away. She hated me so much that I was not considered as her daughter." She added between sobs.

Iduna couldn't help but crying and now her tears were flowing profusely. She didn't expect that Elsa could think like that. Her heart ached at Elsa's words, so she clutched her chest hoping to ease the pain. But to no avail.

Elsa wiped her tears carelessly because her emotions were unbearable. For years she had buried this painful feeling and now that she opened the gates of her emotions, she couldn't help but spill it out.

"Even though everyone says that my mother is dead, I still believe. I still believe that my mother is still alive." Elsa's eyes and face were red with tears. And her tears kept flowing no matter how hard she tried to wipe them off. She seemed very confident that her mother was still alive. It was clear in her eyes.

While Iduna, there was nothing she could do but cry. This conversation was very far from her expectations. She did not expect to have this kind of conversation when she was told this morning that Elsa wanted to see her. If only she had carried the photo in her purse that damn night so Elsa couldn't find it.

Finally Elsa realized that Iduna was crying hard. She wiped her tears quickly and turned to stare at Iduna. She tried to grab Iduna's shoulder and squeezed it softly.

"I'm sorry, Ms. Iduna. I didn't mean to make you sad." And after a moment, she let go of Iduna's shoulders when she saw her nodding slightly. She knew, even Iduna had difficulty speaking because of crying.

Elsa rested her hands on the table and she stared at her two hands that were joined together. She tried hard to stop crying but the feeling that had just emerged caused her to break down in tears once more.

"But I miss my mother. I miss my mother so badly. And I don't know where to go." Elsa brought her hands to her forehead and closed her eyes tightly. She cried uncontrollably. This feeling. The feeling that was always in her heart but she often pushed the feeling away. She always busied herself with work and work and work to distract herself.

Elsa then looked at Iduna, grabbed her hand and was about to say something that she probably never thought of before.

"Ms. Iduna." Elsa wiped her tears again. She stared at Iduna with blood red eyes, her gaze pleading. And just by seeing this, Iduna's heart felt like it was being cut into pieces. She couldn't see her daughter in the state like this.

"If you ever miss your daughter, please, hug me, Ms. Iduna. Hold me, think of me as your daughter." Elsa added, her voice shaking and cracking between sobs. She squeezed Iduna's hand so tightly but it seemed like the both of them didn't realise it.

And the next second, Iduna had thrown herself to hug Elsa so tightly from the side. She was no longer able to endure it. They both wept because the emotions they had buried for a quarter century finally overflowed. A mother who missed her daughter and a daughter who missed her mother.

Elsa also welcomed Iduna's hug with a tight grip on Iduna's arm as if her life depended on it. She clung to her for her dear life. She didn't care that her tears would make Iduna's prisoner uniform wet and she didn't care about her dress which might also be wet because of Iduna's tears. She didn't care at all.

"I miss my mother so badly." Those words kept coming out of Elsa's mouth and made Iduna constantly rubbing Elsa's back trying to calm her down even though she had to try harder to calm herself down.

I'm here, my dear. I'm here.

🍁🍁🍁

"She's not the Winters Family's biological daughter?" Manny asked softly to Scar who had just given him the report, his eyes narrowed at the thought of this information.

"Yes, Sir. She was adopted. At the age of twelve. The winters family adopted Elsa Winters from an orphanage called Mother's Love, The Orphanage." Said Scar firmly.

"Have you visited the orphanage?" Manny was very interested with this information.

"I have, Sir. But only to confirm wether the information is correct or not."

Manny brought his hands together in front of his face and leaned completely back into the armchair. Slowly, his mouth curved an evil smile and leaned forward, ready to give orders.

"Scar, find as much information as you can about that crazy lawyer. But not now. Give time, let's say, a week. We don't want them to be suspicious." Said Manny.

"Yes sir. I will carry out this command as well as possible." Answered Scar, nodding his head.

"Good."

"Don't use force. Don't make things complicated. Once again, we have to play nice." Jo Bernard joined the conversation and was serious about his words. But Manny seemed to disagree.

"Bernard, please. This is not your business. You just take care of legal matters. Understand?" Manny pointed his finger at Bernard dangerously. His eyes were piercing like a dagger. There's nothing Bernard could do but nodding his head.

🍁🍁🍁

That night, Elsa didn't know how many times she changed positions on her bed, but she still couldn't sleep. She always remembered her meeting with Iduna that afternoon. She felt overwhelmed by the emotions that assaulted her. She felt confused. This feeling was strange but also familiar.

Finally, she sat up and looked at the clock on the nightstand and it was only a few minutes past midnight.

She rubbed her face and let out a deep breath. She remembered how it felt to be in Iduna's arms and she thought she could imagine what a mother's hug would feel like. But when her mind shifted why she ended up in the orphanage, her heart was torn again. Her mother hated her so much and didn't want her in her life.

She sighed heavily and then grabbed her cellphone. The next thing she knew, she was already at Jack's doorstep waiting anxiously, only in a long-sleeved silk pajama top, shorts, and slippers with Marshall standing tall behind her. Her cell phone was clutched tightly in her hand in front of her chest.

"Elsa?" Jack asked, confused. Besides he was shocked because he was awakened by the ringing of his cellphone and was told that Elsa was already in front of his door, he was surprised when he saw Elsa's appearance.

"Jack." Elsa was already in Jack's arms. She wrapped her arms around Jack's waist and hugged him tightly. She began to sob.

Jack looked at Marshall asking for an explanation but he just shook his head because he didn't know himself. He then returned her hug and rubbed her back soothingly. He felt that the woman in his arms was very fragile and if he let go of her just a little bit, Elsa would fall into pieces.

"Hey, how about we go in and make a cup of chamomile tea?" Jack whispered in Elsa's ear and when he felt Elsa nod, he turned to Marshall without letting go of his embrace.

"Marshall, do you want to rest in one of the guest rooms or are you going home? I will take care of Elsa from now on. I'll drop her off when she's ready."

"I think I'm going home, Master Jack. I can't leave the mansion unguarded. Kai already back to his house and I am sure of Miss Elsa's safety if she is with you." Replied Marshall.

"Alright. Are you sure you're not being followed?" With Elsa's approval, Jack has informed Marshall about the threat aimed at Elsa. And Jack couldn't help thinking the threat was serious.

"I'm sure, Master Jack."

Jack nodded and let Marshall go. He then led Elsa into the house after locking the door. He sat her down on a stool at his kitchen island and when he was sure she'd calmed down, he started making her chamomile tea.

"So, are you going to tell me what happened?" Jack asked after he was sure that a cup of chamomile tea was secure in Elsa's hands. He then sat on the other stool next to Elsa.

"I don't know how I feel. I am confused." Said Elsa, staring at the cup filled with a yellowish brown liquid in her hand. She could feel warmth seeping through her palms. The steam and the scent of the chamomile tea managed to calm her down a little.

"Confused?" Asked Jack, taking a sip of his tea and preparing to hear Elsa's explanation, if Elsa was willing to explain it.

"Yeah." Elsa took a sip of her tea and looked up at Jack. "This afternoon, I met with Ms. Iduna. And she told me about her child. She has a daughter, Jack. And somehow it made me think of my own mother and how I got dumped in the orphanage." She stopped because she felt sobs threatening to come out again. So, she took another sip to calm her down.

"We hugged. I said, if she ever misses her daughter she can hug me and think of me as her daughter. I feel the warmth of a mother's embrace when I hug her, Jack. I feel calm and peaceful." Elsa smiled sadly remembering her embrace with Iduna.

"What did she say when you two hugged each other?" Now that he felt that Elsa would be able to tell him what made her this way, Jack promised mentally he would be a devoted listener.

"She didn't say anything. She was busy crying." Elsa paused a moment. "I think she really misses her daughter, Jack. I could feel it."

"I don't know, Els. But maybe, maybe there is another reason why she hugged you like that."

Elsa frowned at this. "Like what?"

"I don't know, maybe she thought you look like her daughter?" Jack said assuming, he thought it might happen because since he knew Iduna had a daughter, he thought Elsa had reminded her of her long lost daughter.

Elsa shrugged. "I don't know the reason, but I really felt comfortable in her embrace, and I feel closer to her." She smiled sadly. But then, she furrowed her eyebrows and her gaze turned hard.

"But to think of my own mother, I'm disappointed. I am sad, I am disappointed, I am angry and I still can't believe that she dumped me in the orphanage because she hated me that much."

"Hey." Jack grabbed Elsa's wrist to make her stop talking. "We don't know her reason yet, Elsa. It's not fair to judge her like that." He added, stroking Elsa's forearm gently.

Elsa shook her head and then shrugged. "We don't know yet."

The two of them were silent for a few moments, enjoying the soothing silence by constantly sipping their tea. Until finally Jack noticed Elsa tried to hold back a yawn and brought her hand to massage her forehead slowly.

"Are you tired?" Asked Jack, glancing at the clock in the kitchen and realizing it was past two in the morning.

Elsa nodded slowly. "I am tired. But I still don't want to sleep yet." She then looked up from her now empty cup. She smiled, although her smile did not reach her eyes. "What about a movie night?"

Jack was a little surprised by the sudden change in Elsa's emotions. "Don't we have to work tomorrow morning?"

Elsa's shoulders slumped hearing that. She slammed her hand at her forehead and sighed slowly. "Ugh, you're such a kill joy, Jack."

Uh oh, she's serious about the movie night. Jack chuckled and stood up from the stool. He gave Elsa a brief massage on her shoulder and then took their empty cup.

"Okay, okay. We're going to have a movie night." He put the glass in the sink and then leaned on the kitchen counter staring at Elsa, who was now grinning widely, her eyes shone a little bit. "What do you wanna watch?"

"What do you have in mind?" Elsa asked back instead.

Jack rubbed his chin with his fingers thinking of an idea. But nothing came up. He glanced at Elsa and felt the need to lighten things up some more. "Power Rangers?"

Elsa rolled her eyes hearing Jack's suggestion. "My God, Jackson." She got up from her stool as well, walked around the kitchen island and then grabbed Jack's hand. "Come on, we're going to watch Interstellar."

Jack chuckled and only nodded when Elsa dragged him into the living room. Elsa led him to the front of the television and when he started to prepare the equipment and search for the movie that Elsa wanted to watch, he occasionally noticed Elsa who was already trying to get comfortable on the couch. He smiled as Elsa looked around for something. He knew very well what Elsa was looking for.

"Your blanket is in the drawer at the bottom of the coffee table, Elsa." Said Jack, chuckling.

When they were still in college and living in campus dormitories, the two of them often spent the night together especially to study. And Elsa always brought her blanket because she couldn't stand the cold. One night, he asked her to leave one of her blankets behind so she wouldn't have to carry it every time she had to study late at night. And he kept the blanket until he finally had his own house.

Elsa took a blanket from the drawer and buried her face in the folds of the blanket as she hugged it. She exhaled with satisfaction when she was happy with the clean and fresh blanket.

"When was the last time you washed it?" Elsa asked, unfolding the blanket and spreading it over her body. She curled up under the blanket and leaned sideways on the back of the couch.

"I don't know. Last week?" Jack frowned unsure. He had finished with the preparations for the movie and immediately caught up with Elsa on the couch.

"Turns out you like using my blanket, Jack." Elsa smirked at Jack who was now sitting beside her, trying to get comfortable and crossing his feet on the coffee table.

"Your blanket is really comfortable, you know? And it smells like you." Jack patted Elsa's bent leg under the blanket and kept his hand there. He then pressed the button on the remote and the movie was ready.

For several minutes they both focused on the television screen. However, Elsa's eyes were getting heavy. She then shifted her gaze to the man beside her. The only man in her life other than her adopted family, Kai and Marshall. Only Jack who could put up with her cold and serious demeanor. Only Jack was able to make the frown on her face disappear even if only for a moment.

Elsa sighed. Since their meeting, they have hugged each other hundreds of times. But she never involved her feelings in the hugs. When she grew up and realized that she grew up in an orphanage, she felt devastated because she kept thinking about why she had to end up in that place. Not that she was ungrateful for being raised there, she was very grateful, but she was very sad that she couldn't know who her parents are. And since then, she tried to suppress her feelings and busied herself by being the best at everything she did, she was almost like a robot. Almost.

And apparently, ever since she handled Iduna's case, the door of her feelings that had been closed for years had begun to crack and finally burst open after her meeting with Iduna yesterday afternoon. She realized she was just a human who needed feelings to enjoy life. Happiness, sadness, disgust, fear, surprise, and anger. The desire to love and to be loved. She realized she could not live only by breathing, eating and drinking to give her energy, she needed feelings to be more alive.

And now, when she was with Jack, in his living room, enjoying each other company, she couldn't help but be curious.

"Jack, can you hold me for a moment?"


	8. It Started

"Jack, can you hold me for a moment?"

Jack snapped his head at Elsa's question. When he turned his gaze from the television screen to Elsa next to him, he was met with a pleading look. He frowned.

"Are you still cold?" Asked Jack, a bit worried.

No. I'm warm enough. I just want to know what it feels like to be in your arms when I involve my feelings. "A little." Elsa pursed her lips and then smiled slightly.

Jack chuckled but then stretched out his left arm. "Come here."

Elsa did as she was told, shuffling into Jack's arms without hesitation. Jack pulled her closer to his body and his left hand reflexively rubbed Elsa's upper arm.

"You know, you should pay more attention to your clothes when you go out at night. At least you wear sweaters and sweatpants or long pajama pants." Jack said advicedly, his eyes had returned to the television screen but his hands kept moving trying to provide extra warmth for Elsa.

"I know." I just wanted to see you so badly. I didn't care about my attire. Elsa leaned her head against Jack's chest, listening to the steady, soothing sound of his heartbeat. Her bent legs rested on his lap.

Jack smiled fondly when he saw Elsa who was now curled up in his arms like a baby. "Comfortable?"

Very. "I'm good." Elsa took a deep breath trying to enjoy this moment. She smelled the ocean from Jack's body. Not sharp but there, thin but sustained, and she liked it. She never cared before.

"You smell like the ocean." She muttered. Her voice was muffled because her lips were half buried in Jack's sweater. She was not interested on the television screen any more.

"Yeah, that's what it says on my cologne bottle. Ocean breeze. Do you like it?" Jack grinned, looking down at Elsa.

I love it. "Well, I don't hate it." Came a reply from Elsa. Still unmoving from her position. Again, Jack just smiled. He then put both of his hands together on Elsa's upper arm so that she was really safe and warm in his arms.

"Come on, let's see the movie. They will soon reach the wormhole, they have arrived in Saturn." Jack pulled Elsa closer, even though it was no longer possible, and turned his gaze back to the television screen.

Elsa tilted her head and also looked at the television screen. Her eyes were on it, but her mind wandered far away from what she was staring at. She just stared blankly at the television screen as her brain worked trying to understand her heart.

All this time she had never really missed Jack. She almost never missed him because he was always by her side. Literally. From college until now. She had friends off course, but no one like Jack. And then one question came up.

What will happen if one day Jack is no longer by my side?

Elsa closed her eyes tightly. She didn't want to think about it. She couldn't think about it.

Oh, Jack. All this time you were like the salt. I'm not really aware of your existence, but your absence will hit me really hard. And I'm sorry.

"Stay with me all the time, please." Elsa muttered in a barely audible voice.

"Hm?" Jack frowned and looked down at Elsa. He thought he heard something but couldn't really make out the words.

Elsa opened her eyes wide and tried to think of an answer. "Cooper is really handsome."

Jack smirked and then he shifted his body a little so that he could be more comfortable leaning on the back of the couch to make Elsa more comfortable. He smiled when he heard Elsa sigh contentedly and he truly enjoyed this kind of moment, a moment he would never exchange for anything.

As for Elsa, there was a difference in the sense of comfort between the hug she had this afternoon with Iduna and currently with Jack. With Iduna, she felt that sense of comfort she had ever felt before, even though she didn't remember it, but then it was cut off and she just felt it again yesterday. While with Jack, she felt a comfortable complement. She felt whole when she was in his arms. And she liked it. What does it mean?

She felt tired. Her eyes grew heavier. Jack's soothing heartbeat in her ears sounded like a lullaby that made her finally give up and close her eyes. The scent of the ocean from Jack's body relaxed her mind, and soon enough she fell into a deep, peaceful and dreamless slumber.

🍁🍁🍁

It was nine in the morning and Jamie was getting ready to go to college. He came out of the house and when he reached the driveway, he caught Alex was looking blankly at something while sipping his cigarette. He smirked and tiptoed closer to him from behind.

"Alex!" Jamie patted Alex on the shoulder, startling him. "What were you thinking? You must be imagining things, right?" He was trying to sound cheerful but Alex's nervous demeanour made him curious.

Alex took another sip and threw away the cigarette butt. "It's not that, Master Jamie. It's just that, I'm still haunted by the events that night. I still remember the woman's face when we dropped her off by the side of the road." Said Alex sounded nervous as hell.

Jamie's face changed at once. There was a mixture of emotions drawn on his face. Nervousness, fear, guilty, and a little faith that his father would fix the problem. He approached Alex and pointed his index finger at Alex nose.

"Don't ever say that again, Alex. She is died. Let my father take care of it. Do you understand?" Jamie waited until finally Alex nodded his head and then got into the car. Alex followed and got into the driver's seat with the mind still couldn't escape from the event of that night.

🍁🍁🍁

Iduna stared at a photo in her hand and her fingers slowly traced Elsa's smiling face. She smiled sadly remembering yesterday's incident. She didn't think at all that Elsa thought she dumped her in the orphanage and didn't want her. She wished she could say it wasn't what she meant. But if she thought further, she would prefer it that way. She didn't mind, if she had to endure such assumptions, if in the end her daughter could have a better life. She deserved it.

This is a photo of me from when I was just starting up the law firm with Jack. You may have it as a thank you because you have given your photo to me. You can see this photo when you miss your daughter. Because I also saw your photo when I was missing my mother. Although I don't know what she look like.

Iduna smiled remembering her daughter's words. Her thoughts drifted away until suddenly interrupted by the sound of metal clashing, making her distracted from her daughter's photo.

"Get in!" The loud voice of a police officer filled the prison cell. And shortly after that, emerged from behind the wall a creepy-looking woman with large round eyes and a pointed nose. Her hair was jet black and curly, almost touching her waist. Her tall slender body and the look in her eyes made her look like a psychopath who was hard to guess what was on her mind.

Iduna swallowed hard when the woman locked her eyes with hers. That woman waited for the police officer who was locking the door to leave before she finally walked over to her.

"What's your name, bitch?" She asked. She looked down at Iduna sharply who was still sitting frozen because she did not expect to get a cellmate.

"I-iduna, Iduna Singleir." Iduna replied stuttering. She grew even more nervous when the woman crouched down in front of her and brought her face closer.

"The name's Gothel. Why are you here?" She asked again. Her voice was low but Iduna could feel the horror behind that voice. Her voice sent a shiver down Iduna's spine.

"I-i'm accused of killing someone." Iduna really wanted to escape from the wall behind her and the woman in front of her.

"Accused?" She asked another question and when Iduna nodded she let out a deafening laugh. Iduna had to cover her ears and hold her breath because the breath that came out of the woman's mouth made her want to vomit.

"You better actually killed someone. Like me. Oh no, wait a minute, it looks like I've killed two people. Because you see? Confess or not, you're still in here." She laughed again and this time Iduna had to close her eyes and lowered her head to avoid anything unpleasant that came from the woman in front of her.

"Now, move! I want to sit there!" She slammed her hand on the wall right next to Iduna's head, making her jump in shock. Iduna nodded quickly and immediately stepped away from there.

🍁🍁🍁

Elsa's eyes fluttered open when she heard the phone ringing faintly. Her eyelids were still heavy but the constant ringing of the phone made her feel the need to wake up. As her consciousness gathered, she began to hear another sound next to her. A soft snoring sound.

She looked up and found Jack still fast asleep. His head looked up because the back of the couch wasn't high enough to hold his head, leaving his lips parted as he snored. And Elsa felt her cheeks warm as she realized that her own hand curl around Jack's midsection.

She pulled her hand and straightened her back. She stretched her muscles for a few moments before finally picking up her cell phone on the coffee table. Her eyes widened when she looked at the time on the cellphone screen, it's already half past ten in the morning, too late for her to wake up.

And she cringed at the number of missed calls and messages on the screen. She jumped in shock when this time Jack's cell phone rang. She looked at Jack's cellphone and saw Lucy's name on the screen. She sighed softly when she saw that Jack didn't seem to want to get up yet.

"Jack, wake up." Elsa poked Jack's chest with her index finger and of course it had no effect. There was no way a poke from the tiny little index finger could wake him from his sleep.

Elsa thought and came to a conclusion how to wake Jack from his sleep. She brought her hand up over Jack's face and winced a little. "I'm sorry." She then pinched Jack's nose with her index finger and thumb, waiting for the snoring to stop and finally Jack woke up running out of air.

"Elsa! What were you doing? Were you trying to kill me?" Jack cried squeezing his nose while Elsa was already giggling amused seeing Jack's facial expression.

"I'm sorry, Jack. I tried to wake you from the dead. We're late. See?" Elsa held out Jack's cell phone and she still wasn't done with giggling. "You should see your face. Oh my God." She couldn't take it anymore, she finally laughed.

Jack glanced at Elsa and felt relieved because it seemed like Elsa was no longer sad. He smirked and unlocked the screen of his cell phone. He was just about to see the messages when his cell phone rang again.

"It's Lucy." And Jack nodded when Elsa signaled him to pick up the phone call. "Good morning, Lucy. Yeah, I'm sorry. I'm with Elsa. She's a little unwell today and I had to take her to the hospital this morning. Yeah, we're going to the office after this. Okay. Bye, thank you, Lucy." Jack had not had time to disconnect the phone call when suddenly a palm landed on his chest.

"You lied. Why did you have to lie that we went to the hospital? You know, old people said that what you say might happen if you lie." Said Elsa, starting to remove the blanket from herself.

Jack rubbed his chest which hurt a little from Elsa's hit and smiled mischievously. "Then what should I say? Should I say that we just woke up because we watched a movie until dawn?"

Elsa eyed Jack for a while and then sighed softly. She also wondered what their employees would think if they knew what they were really doing to the point of being late without a word. She then got up and folded the blanket. "Okay. Now you stand up and go take a shower. I'll make you breakfast and after that you have to take me home to get ready."

"As your wish, Milady." Jack stood up and stretched his back for a moment. He glanced at Elsa who had just put the blanket in the right place in the drawer. He took this opportunity and took a step forward, pinching Elsa's nose. "You look cute when you just woke up." And then he sprinted towards the stairs.

"Jack!"

🍁🍁🍁

Elsa and Jack were discussing something about their work on the couch in Elsa's room when Elsa's office phone rang. She looked up from the paper she was reading and rose to her feet to grab the phone on her desk.

"A moment, Jack."

"Sure." Jack looked up and his eyes followed Elsa's movement.

"Hello."

"Hello, Elsa. It's me, Gerda."

"Oh, Gerda! How have you been?"

"I'm alright."

Elsa frowned, felt something was off with Gerda's voice. She felt uneasiness through Gerda's words. "Gerda? What happened? Are you sure you're alright?" She put down the paper she had been holding and focused on the phone connection with Gerda.

"It's nothing, Elsa. I'm just worried about you. Why do I always think about you, huh? Elsa, are you still working on that Iduna Singleir case?"

The frown on Elsa's face deepened. She wondered why Gerda suddenly asked that. She knew that Gerda was always worried about her well-being, but not like this. Gerda said it directly which meant Gerda also felt strange why she was so worried about her.

"Yes. I'm still working on that case. And now that case has become my main case. What about it, Gerda?"

"Shouldn't you just drop the case, Elsa?"

"What? Why are you suddenly talking like that, Gerda? Is there something wrong?"

"Nothing, Elsa. I'm just worried about your safety. I think you'd better pass this case over to another lawyer, Elsa."

Elsa let out a long breath. Her hand moved to scratch her forehead. She was confused but also suspicious of what really happened to Gerda so that she asked her to drop the case.

"I can't do that, Gerda. I have to solve this case. And I believe that I will win. Gerda, you're weird, you know that? Why are you suddenly talking like this?"

"It's okay, Elsa. Just take care of yourself, alright?" And the telephone line was cut.

Elsa stared at the receiver, furrowed her brows as if the receiver was inviting her to speak in a language she did not understand. Jack realized this and got up from his seat, walked towards her.

"Is something wrong?" Asked Jack, he sat on the edge of the table and stared at Elsa who still looked confused.

Elsa's brows were still furrowed and she just shook her head slightly. She pursed her lips as she thought.

"I don't know, Jack. It was weird, you know. Gerda, she asked me to drop Iduna's case. She's got nothing to do with this case, right? Why did she suddenly ask about that? And she said she was worried about my safety. I feel something isn't right, Jack." Elsa seemed really bothered by her conversation with Gerda earlier.

"When was the last time you met her?" Jack asked, trying to calm Elsa down.

"A week or two? Or maybe less? I don't know." Elsa answered uncertainly. The events that had occurred lately made her no longer remember the time line.

"We called each other several times, from there I told her that I was handling this case. But at that time she was fine with it. Not like this."

"Maybe you should see her again. Maybe with her seeing you're okay, she'll be less worried." Said Jack, smiling. He didn't like it when Elsa was uneasy like this. He continued to observe Elsa who was thinking about his suggestion.

"Will you accompany me to the orphanage?" Said Elsa finally. She looked Jack right in the eyes and they looked each other for a moment. The two of them then looked away when they felt their gazes getting more intense.

Jack cleared his throat and stood up. "Sure."

Meanwhile in the orphanage, Gerda was pacing around inside her room. She had never been so worried about Elsa's safety like this before. When Elsa told her that she was going to work on the case of Iduna, her own biological mother, she was very surprised. But she tried to cover it up and thought it would pass like all the other cases Elsa had ever handled.

But when she found out that Iduna was accused of murder and she read in the newspaper that there was a name of one of the most influential and powerful family in the city was involved in the case, she became worried. Even so, she was trying to believe that Elsa would solve this case and everything would end up fine.

Everything changed a few days ago, when several people dressed all in black and one of them with a very intimidating appearance came to the orphanage and asked if Elsa was really raised in that orphanage. At that time, she was unwilling to provide more information than she could. She only confirmed that Elsa had lived there and after that she asked them to leave. She was relieved that they complied with her request to leave even though she could sense something amiss in the man's eyes when he was about to leave. There was no guarantee they wouldn't come back another time

She had to do something, it was the right time for Elsa to find out about her biological mother. That she was still alive. She didn't want anything bad to happen to her. Because if those people came back and asked for more information from her, she wanted Elsa to know it already. She didn't want this information to be used against Elsa in a bad way.

"I'm sorry, Iduna."

🍁🍁🍁

"Olaf!" Elsa was running along the hospital hallway screaming for someone when she saw the back of the person she felt she knew.

Olaf, one of Gerda's employees at the orphanage was walking down the hospital hallway still in his carrot-patterned pajamas and turned around when he heard his name being called by someone. His eyes widened with joy to see Elsa walking quickly towards him, but the joy was only for a moment. Sadness came back over him as he remembered why he was here.

"Elsa!" Olaf did not need to approach Elsa because Elsa was already in front of him. He looked up at Elsa because his height was only just above Elsa's chin, he could see the tear marks on Elsa's cheeks and the anxiety radiating clearly on her face and her teary eyes.

"How is she? How is Gerda?" Elsa asked, out of breath as she ran after Kai dropped her off at the hospital Lobby and looked for the elevator. Once she reached the 27th floor where the ICU ward was located, she had to walk down the hallway and find out where she could ask about Gerda's condition. And there she found Olaf, a stubby man in his thirties, looking very worried.

"I don't know yet, Elsa. Doctors just transferred Gerda to the ICU after they were done from the Accident and Emergency ward. No one has been out of the ICU yet." Olaf said explaining, he was guiding Elsa to the ICU door.

Olaf's explanation made Elsa shed tears again. Just this afternoon Gerda warned her to take care of herself. And now it was Gerda who was rushed to the hospital due to car accident. Having a bad experience with car accident made Elsa think something bad was going to happen. And that really put her on the edge.

"She was just about to go to your house, Elsa." Olaf added. This time managed to make Elsa snapped her head at him.

"My house? Why did she want to come to my house?" Elsa squeezed the sweater over her chest and looked at Olaf in confusion.

"I don't know for sure. But before leaving, Gerda looked very worried. And she mentioned your mother several times. She didn't say it clearly and when I asked, she didn't answer it and rushed to your house." Olaf said, looking very worried and sad about what had happened.

Elsa gasped and the grip on her sweater tightened. "She said something about my mother?" She asked incredulously.

"Yeah. But she didn't say anything more." Olaf stopped walking because they had reached the ICU's door. Not far from there, there was a glass window so that visitors could see the patient from outside the room.

And Elsa brought her hands to her mouth to hold back tears when she saw Gerda lying unconscious in the room. Several machines and tubes connected to her body with an oxygen mask covering her mouth and nose.

What are you trying to tell me, Gerda? Why did this have to happen to you?

"Elsa, how's Gerda?"

Elsa's attention was distracted when she heard a familiar voice. She turned around and found Jack was standing behind her. Only with a T-shirt, jeans and sneakers.

"Jack." Elsa wiped her tears abruptly and looked back at Gerda through the glass window. "I don't know, Jack. I haven't heard anything from the doctor."

When Elsa had just finished talking, the ICU door suddenly opened and from inside, came out a woman, or a girl with strawberry blonde hair tied in a ponytail, with a light blue scrub and white coat, carrying a clipboard in her arms.

"How's Gerda?" Elsa asked immediately, she didn't care about her messy face and flushed with tears.

The girl stared at Elsa for a while before finally opening her mouth. "I'm sorry. And you are?"

"I'm her daughter, Elsa. How is she?" Elsa was getting impatient.

"Okay. So, I'm not Mrs. Larson's doctor, I'm just a surgical resident under dr. Hunt's supervision. She has more rights to give you an explanation regarding your mother's condition. She's coming out in a minute, or do you want me to call her for you?"

"You don't need to call me, Arendelle." Another woman came out from behind the door. She was dressed in navy blue scrub and white coat with long, wavy brown hair. Her face was serious and seemed like she was not a people person.

"I'm Megan Hunt and I'm Mrs. Larson's doctor. So, at the time of the accident, Mrs. Larson suffered a very hard impact on her temporal bone, on the left side to be precise." She pressed the part behind her left ear. "The good news is that there is no internal bleeding or skull fracture. Only bruising on the part of the tissue that was impacted. But the accident left her with an open wound on her head, and it made her unconscious for some time. We try our best to keep her stable, but I still can't tell when she will wake up. Pray the best for her." Dr. Hunt gave Elsa one last smile before finally leaving Elsa, followed by her surgical resident.

As if endless, Elsa's tears continued to flow. The news from the doctor didn't make her any more relieved. With Gerda's unconscious state, and what was so important that Gerda was about to tell her so that she was in a hurry and ended up having an accident.

"Oh, Gerda." Elsa covered her face with her hands and sank into Jack's arms. She was crying hard because in her mind there was only the worst possibility. And she would never know what Gerda was trying to say to her if Gerda didn't survive.


End file.
